TGBTL: Why I'd loooove to lunch w/ Kristen Wiig

Happy Wednesday, loves! :)

For those of you just stopping by my blog - WELCOME! Every week - I get excited for another week of my weekly linkup with the ladies of #GirlBetweentheLines . This week is about who I'd have lunch with of my fave celebrity/blogger/etc. (Disclaimer: I've been sick this week so this is late getting posted!)

& because she is so hilarious. & I looooved her on SNL as Gilly, Penelope, Sue, & all the crazy characters she came up with. & because she wrote and starred in my favorite movie everrrr: Bridesmaids: I would looove the opportunity to lunch with Kristen Wiig. I feel it'd be funny and she'd be really personable & sarcastic. Because this is how I know her. 

Honestly - she is the funniest lady I know. When I found out that she was young Lucille in Arrested Development - she was made for that role - and she would be in Anchorman 2 - makes me even more excited to see the movie or show. I am not a crazy person that would send her letters or freak her out -- but if the opportunity presented itself for me to have lunch w/ her - I'd gladly take it!! Her skills literally make me laugh til I cry. Heck, I saw Bridesmaids (for the third time on my honeymoon!)

Hope you are having a great week. My sis in law is here from Missouri for the whole week & it's been fantastic having her here. Excited for when she & the fam move here! :) 

{I'm the kinda girl who}::

Happy Sunday, friends :)

For those of you who are just stopping by my blog - WELCOME. Hope you're having a FANTASTIC weekend thus far. Myself, I am not doing well - sick & recovering from surgery two weeks ago. Cannot wait for the days ahead when I will be feeling good again.. I digress. I found this new linkup & wanted to jump in.

{I am the kind of girl who}::
- could eat every meal @ TIjuana Flats if I so desired. I am addicted!

- prefers chick flicks or Gossip Girl or Gilmore Girls over horror movies or stuff most dudes like.

- watches Cake Boss or DC Cupcakes thinking my cake is fantastic but in reality is a Pinterest fail.

- finds ways to serve her husband better - putting him first over my needs.
- gets excited for the end of the work day because I get to see my husband (we commute together).
- overthinks & overanalyzes most situations.
- binge watches new fave shows on Netflix for 3 weeks.
- is sarcastic all the time.
- enjoys being with others but loves my alone time too.
- misses my days of being a pampered chef consultant where I was paid to throw parties & cook.
- loves perusing the kitchen & home aisles at Tarjay & Walmart.
- always drives at least five, maybe six miles over the speed limit.
- enjoys perusing Yummly & Pinterest for menu options.
- loves spending time with my family
- absolutely loves my annual passes to Disney & Universal.
- is becoming a hoarder with Bath & Body Works lotion & nail polish. (self discovery).
- cannot sleep without a fan on. Even on nights where it feels like sub zero temps.
- loves queso. Especially Newman's Own. Or the one @ Tijuana. :)

While I am sure I could find more snippets of myself to share - my husband & I both have a stomach bug this weekend - we need to rest - his sister flies in tomorrow for the next week & we need to get better! Be sending prayers or good vibes our way :) 

TGBTL Week 11: Fave Five for Pinterest.*

  

Happy Wednesday, loves. 

Every week I link up with two fantastic ladies, Hayley & Lauren for the 'Girl Between the Lines' link up and each week the prompts sometimes put my house in a type of disarray but in a fun way to find the perfect photo or add on for my blog.

This week's prompt is: Share your 5 favorite pins from Pinterest & to share a link to my boards.

Confession - Pinterest used to be my favorite way to spend my evening. Maybe it will again but I honestly forget about it for awhile and then find my way back eventually. When you look at my boards - there are main topics I look for: The Office, DIY Projects/House decor, Favorite shows & Foodie ideas. 

 

Well allow me to elaborate on why these 5 are my favorites.

1) Be-you-tiful: Last year, my baby sis turned 13. She starts high school this August & I feel like this is a great reminder for her because sometimes she doesn't always feel pretty because of those mean ladies that go to school with her. I am hoping to make her this for her birthday/congrats you're a high schooler now!

2)  Two is Better than One. Not only was this my first dance at my wedding by Taylor Swift & Boys Like Girls - find it on YouTube - but it is perfect to put in my living room. Going to save up for this because my artistic skills would be two stick people & no where close to this one's smashing talent.

3) The Office is one of my favorites especially this scene with one of Jim's better pranks on Dwight. 

{Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galatica.}

4) Gilmore Girls! I love LOVE love this show. This show got me through high school and I absolutely love the relationships highlighted on this show. {Especially those centered with Kirk or Paris!}

5. My household is a Disney household. We love Disney. & I love decorating. I think this year I am going to put this on our porch for when kids come by trick or treating. So cute & super easy! 

These are only five pins that I love. Feel free to follow me on Pinterest here. Take Care ~ Jessica 

BzzAgent Review: Tone Body Wash

Happy Monday, loves :)

Over the weekend, I received my sample for a campaign that I've been spreading Bzz about. One of my favorite go-to brands unleashed their newest scent - Petal Soft. This has to be a new favorite. Forget flowers on VDay or any other day - I will gladly accept this instead. Mixed with Jasmine, rose oil with Shea & cocoa butters, this body wash has truly hydrated my skin and made it smoother than usual. All of my experiences with Tone products have been very positive and this product is no different. Feel free to rush up to your local Walmart - because not only is it a great brand that makes you feel hydrated & pretty - it is cost effective. I trust this brand knowing it doesn't require an arm & a leg for a quality product. 

If you're interested in trying out products and spreading your own Bzz - feel free to visit BzzAgent.com to get started. I've done it for a year and it has opened my eyes to new products and allowed me to share my voice on what I liked/disliked for FREE :) Try it out!

Thanks for stopping by! ~J

25 Things You Don't Know About Me.

Happy Sunday, friends! :)

Hope you had a fantastic day. We went to the new church plant and am excited to go again. Everyone was really friendly, the message felt a big long but overall a positive experience. When we came back, we bathed the pups to get them ready to go bye byes (always an exciting time for our pups) to get their heartworm test/meds. They weren't excited but they did it without yelping like that tiny chihuahua in front of them. The real excitement comes when we have to get them to take their heartworm meds every month - anyone with dogs have good ideas for this?

Not sure if you've gotten into the Winter Olympics or not - I started watching them after my surgery but I didn't get real into it. I was more sad that my shows were on hiatus until after they ended. I started getting excited thinking it was this week they were coming back but lo & behold - next week I am excited for these shows specifically: Scandal & Parenthood!

So - here's what I wanted to do on my blog tonight. When I used to read those celebrity mags - they'd have this section that the celebrity would share these unknown facts. So I thought why not share 25 facts about myself? Here we go.

1) When I have a bad day at work, I go HERE or over HERE for a belly laughin good time. 

2) I am a coupon clipper - but not like the extreme hoarders who take it a bit too far.

3) Sometimes I don't update Facebook for more than a week!

4) My Instagram & Starbucks are good friends of mine.

5) I make a mean batch of tacos, they're my husband's favorite meal.

6) I invented his second fave meal on accident, try them yourself - recipe HERE! :)

7) After having my favorite scent @ Bath & Body Works for over a decade - I just switched to my new scent - Sexy Dahlias! 

8) My favorite times in college were going to Barnes & Noble, finding a comfy couch with Sbux & reading James Patterson mystery novels. Perfect way to relax my mind.

9) My favorite ice cream sandwiches are Market Pantry from Target!

10) Most of the ideas from my wedding were DIY projects: centerpieces, guestbook, etc.

11) Cadbury Creme Eggs & Peeps are my favorite candy. 

12) Cracker Barrel & Waffle House are my favorite roadtrip restaurants.

13) My favorite thing to do is peruse the Kitchen aisle at Target or Walmart. 

14) Every year I treat myself to a Krispy Kreme donut for that fix. 

15) I'm a 'card' person. I grew up giving people birthday cards & sending Christmas cards. My husband didn't. I think his family gets confused when I send them each year.

16) I get excited about trips to Target. Especially when the clearance section is involved.

17) I enjoy flipping the calendar every 1st of the month. Especially with our vintage Disney 2014 calendar.

18) I'm addicted to Smart Water.

19) My brother & I have an arrangement to where on his birthday, I am allowed to spoil my nephew more.

20) Every year on March 5th & September 10th - I make a big fuss about my dogs' birthdays.

21) I am the most creative at JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby or the crafty section @ Walmart.

22) I am addicted to the taste of Buffalo -- especially Mac & Cheese (Market Pantry).

23) I love looking up recipes of Pinterest. Especially for my crock pot.

24) Our bakery that made our wedding cake - the top layer was Root Beer flavored.

25) When I got married & tried to change my name on Facebook - they required me sending a copy of my marriage license first!

Hope you enjoyed those facts. Time to take some meds to feel better, still recovering. Hope your Monday is awesome, I am picking up my long awaited Girl Scout cookies from my sister. :) ~ J

Valentine's Day//Weekend Adventures.

Happy Saturday, loves :)

No surprise that this verse calms me. I mean in the last week - I was so sick and worried what was going on with my body. My husband told me at first he thought I was having a stomach ache but when I told him that my friend with med background thought it was gallbladder related, he was scared for me. Now that it's been a week after the surgery, I am almost back to normal. This whole experience re-ignited a spark inside me that God knew this whole time that the surgery would cease the pain and I would feel better. This spark made me realize that I get to scared and start putting my trust in WebMD (only at drastic measures) instead of Him who took care of us. 

Secondly - I am so glad that VDay is over. I've never really cared about it because I should depend on one day out of the year for my husband to show me how he feels - that's what he does daily. Especially on our anniversary. So this year we kept it low key. Including these gems: Tijuana Flats & House of Cards..

Tijuana Flats & House of Cards - season 2. #VDayCombo

Definitely shaping up to be a great weekend. Tomorrow we're trying out a new church plant, G3 Church right down the road. I am excited for the possibility of finding a home church and building new friends nearby. Hope you had a fantastic week/weekend thus far. ~ J

5 Things on Thursday!

Happy Thursday, loves.

Today was my first day back to work post surgery & while I am not 100% yet, I am getting there. One day at a time. & I am in a new normal per se. Wanted to post but didn't have anything to make an actual post so I thought I'd share 10 things about my day that seemed interesting to me. 

1) I was reminded today that I really love those candy hearts for VDay. Like they are so addictive. My boss had a bag on her desk and I completely didn't care about the chocolate being available, just these cute little hearts. Hopefully when I go to WalMart on Saturday for the post VDay sale - I can find some. Sorry, Walmart - I don't feel like paying $3 for a tiny bag. 

2) I was overhearing today at work how much money people spend on VDay and it made me get goosebumps in a scary way. My hubs & I are spending our VDay, picking up Tijuana Flats (been craving it, & hello, $2.14 tacos!?) & binge watching the new season of House of Cards. Woot, romance. Oh & my VDay chocolate? I picked up a $1 Reese's at Tarjay on Wednesday. Doesn't take much to keep me satisfied! 

3) I am constantly reminded how much I love Amazon. Because you can get practically whatever you want online even if its completely random and not have to leave your house. I used to have to go to Walmart and buy those random things while getting judged by the cashier. Not anymore, thank God. Now its random & anonymous at least for me!

4) There is just something uber fantastically good about pudding - especially chocolate fudge pudding. I've been eating it alot this week because its soft on my stomach and overall incredible & light on calories. But its just so good. Kiind of like how Bubba loves shrimp. Classic Rugrats - describes my big smile at work.

5) This really isn't a thing but it is something on my radar: 28 days til my next vacay. :)

Enjoy your VDay! & here is something to get to you closer to the weekend.

So What, Wednesday!

Happy Wednesday, loves. Today is my last day home before I return from having my gallbladder removal surgery on Sunday morning. You can read more about that here.

I am linking up again with Shannon for the 'So What, Wednesday' link up.

Today, I am saying So What if..

I am craving Tijuana Flats even though I just had my gallbladder removed on Sunday. I had it last night but I am really craving. I was really sick last week and couldn't eat anything without getting sick. After my surgery, I finally got to have mashed potatoes and the hospital's version of pot roast. I understand that this surgery was needed, I am glad it didn't happen on my cruise when I'd be stuck in the ocean. But I also enjoy Tijuana's tacos because its fresh and my absolute favorite. This surgery has helped me realize some changes but I will never remove TF from my life.

I am finding it is really hard to not overdo it with the housework while I am home. I promised my parents/hubs I would take it easy and let myself recover from my surgery and not just clean fiercely. The most I have done so far is doing some laundry because my hubs went back to work yesterday. I am only going to clean and sweep my kitchen this week. It's hard to sit back and see what I need to do. But in order to get up - it is really painful and sore so that is the reason I am not hardcore cleaning.

I get excited every Sunday for the JoAnn's ads. Now that my house is finally repaired after my water leak, I am able to finally put up the frames and decor through out my house to really put up splashes of color. I find these deals and they have just been taking up space in my closet so now that I can actually put them up on walls - I am so SO so thrilled to break them out.

This is all I have for today. One of my love languages is that I love to encourage others, especially women. Hope I can make your life pleasant and your day even a smidge happier.

TGBTL: Fave photo.

Happy Wednesday, loves. 

Today is my last day at home before returning to work from having surgery.

Every week I post and link up with two fantastic ladies, Hayley & Lauren for Girl Between the Lines. Last week I went pretty topic heavy with my free week of no prompt & wrote about something I am pretty passionate about. I feel like women need to be inspired to not only be their best but to overcome their past and their fears. Every woman has a story and experiences that deserve to be in the spotlight. Technology helps us accomplish big things in society but sometimes it has the impression on women that we need to change ourselves - and match the mold that celebrities are expected to maintain and uphold. This is a post that I want to expand on and will be included in my book - if you're interested in sharing your story, I'd love to hear from you.

This week for my link up - the prompt is to share my favorite photo and the story behind it. 

These are very recent pictures that I wanted to share that are easily my new pictures. These are from my work Christmas party in December. I usually invite and share the party festivities with my parents. This year my company decided to make pictures even more entertaining. My husband & I smiled big together & then had a group shot. The latter shot made me giggle when I see it because we have this vibe that we're dancing - gettin our moves on. 

I absolutely love my family and the time I spend with them. These pictures showcase my hard work to lose weight. When I was at the party, you couldn't wipe the smile and overall happiness off my face for anything. I am so happy and I love pictures of me when I can't help but smile because I know that I am over the moon happy. Goosebumps.

Thanks for stopping by. Here is some encouragement for YOU!

Hospital stays, surprises & surgery -- oh my.

Happy Tuesday, loves!

A week ago, I got really sick on the way home from work. I have never had that pain before and it scared me, I thought I was having a heart attack and would die. Luckily, that was not it.  I am not one to call out of work over a tummy ache so when I stayed home, went to the doctor and found myself getting an ultrasound - I was worried of what it was. I was given a diagnosis of gallstones & that I needed to either remove my gallbladder or be aware that the pain I was suffering would come back if I didn't do the surgical option. So basically to make a long story short, I was admitted to the hospital Thursday night. I had to do an MRI, lots of lab-work and was blessed with great day nurses. Sunday morning, I had my surgery to remove my gallbladder. I am still in pain, sore & uncomfortable - taking one day at a time and just be praying for healing.

That's all I have for today. I am working on my next Girl Between the Lines & So What Wednesday linkups to post tomorrow - they are on their way. I am going to take advantage of this time off to rest and recuperate.

Here are some other things to enjoy:

1) If you enjoy surveys & trying out products for free - feel free to join BzzAgent. I am on this site and have actively participated in several product campaigns such as Neutrogena Long & Wear, Tone Body Wash, Garnier Hydra Recharge (shampoo/dry oil). I have reviewed my experiences with these products on here - check this post and oh yeah, this post too. Interested? Sign up HERE to review products & try them out on yourself!

2) One of my daily must read bloggers, Kristen @ When At Home - started a new link up series about motherhood. If you're a mom, feel free to follow Kristen (she is hilarious!) and to link up with her new series.

3) Do you have a word for 2014? My second must read blog that I read daily, Laura @ The Everyday Joys challenges me in her new post about her word for 2014 & how abandon will be a versatile tool for the year.

I have a few big things I need to get done today & promised my parents/hubs I wouldn't overdo it this wk. Lastly, I am going to make it a thing to encourage you at the end of each post.

TGBTL: Dear Women, you're beautiful. Your size doesn't define you.

Happy Wednesday, loves. 

Today on my weekly Girl Between the Lines linkup - its a free week with no prompt. Lately in my thoughts outside of work, life, my blog - I have just been using all my free time to work on my book. I thought this would be a great time to recruit those interested in sharing their experiences or thoughts for it. 

Right now - my big chapter that I am working on has to do with self image and self confidence. Myself, I am a bigger girl. I always have been and in the past year have really been working hard to change my outlook on food. Food used to be my comfort. If I had a bad day, I ate. If I had a good day, I ate. This is no longer the case but I understand that there are many women who still associate food with feelings. My main motivation behind this book is that I would like to encourage girls who don't fit under the mold that America puts on women to be a certain weight, a certain size and overall a certain type of woman. 

This doesn't apply to women who sign up to be models, or in a career like acting that you have to maintain a certain shape or health level. These women are you and me. We're wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and at the end of the day - women who all have feelings and emotions. 

This is something I am writing about in a current chapter but not something I have blogged about. 

When I was in college, I actually spent time researching this because in my opinion, it continues to get out of hand whether its a celebrity or just an average Jane. There are quite a few things that I have noticed that have started to happen.

1) Little girls are starting to become more insecure early: I can relate because when I was in third grade, I started wearing a training bra. My body developed really, really early. When I was little like that, it was a curse but God had His reasons when He created me the way He did. Little girls start feeling self conscious and feel the need to experiment with makeup way too early and it doesn't help that little girls are just way meaner these days.

2) Teenagers feel this pressure on a minute to minute basis (in my opinion). My teen years were hard. I cannot imagine being a teen in our society today. I pray for these girls hourly. Girls are just plain mean and we hear alot more about bullying whether online or in person with the amount of girls who commit suicide over comments or boys. Secondly, teens feel the need to starve themselves to fit into these clothes or for the popularity factor & be considered cool.

I am a big One Tree Hill fan. Season 7, Sophia Bush's character, Brooke Davis who runs a clothing store on the show 'Clothes over Bros' and in their fashion show made the 'Zero is not a size' campaign. Luckily, this didn't just stay on TV - Sophia made a point of this and how important it is that we don't have to be a size zero to be beautiful. Aeropostale had been making shirts for girls/women to encourage starvation and I am so glad there are actors like Sophia Bush out there. I miss seeing her on OTH but women are beautiful and size has nothing to do with it. This whole case will be written more in my book but if you'd like to read more about it - click here. 

3) College ladies or adult women feel this pressure also minute to minute. Makeup, perfect bodies, and the extremes that they go to - plastic surgery, eating disorders, being obsessed to be thin instead of fit and healthy. I mean look at the magazine covers with the constant use of Photoshop - the desire for perfection and not having any blemishes shown to the public just makes you look less human. I have dark circles, a few pimples here and there but overall I don't feel like I need to change my body to be a perfect woman. 

If you have experience in any of this, and would like the opportunity to possibly be included in my book, feel free to email me directly at jessica_whitney@hotmail.com. We can make it anonymous or you can get your story out there in this chapter. Whether its your feelings about this topic, your firsthand experience or how your perspective has changed your mindset. All women are beautiful and deserve to feel this way all the time despite their weight, size or hair color.