Talk To Us Tuesday & 10 Things to Smile About..

I'm linking up with EVERYONE today!!! So here goes... ;)
 Okay it's not everyone but it's a bumch of awesome ladies! :)













Ten Things To Smile about on Talk To Us Tuesday!!1

1. We took Monkey to the ENT today and his hearing is now perfectly normal! He passed their little test with FLYING colors and Dr. Awesome was very impressed that my 2 and a half year old can spell his name! :) It's adorable. I should post a vid of it for ya'll.

2. C is actually getting me a Valentine's Day gift without me picking it out with him at the store this year. He was sooo cute this morning when he asked me a million questions because he wants to do a good job. ** I am still a bit bummed that he refuses to get me flowers because they die.

3. C actually watched a full episode of The Big Bang Theory with me. He hated it. He can't stand Sheldon but he tried so that counts.

4. I found out my favorite perfume has been discontinued BUT my bestie has a bottle to give me because it doesn't smell right on her. So yay for me..

5.I am super excited and SUPER NERVOUS about tomorrow Pick Your Plum Challenge link up. Even more nervous because I know some creative ladies had the same package as I do.

6. I am happy about doing more with my blog.  I'll be trying to update the look soon and I MIGHT be going to the blog confernce in Sept.

7. C and I filed our taxes and I will be getting my driver's license back and be getting a car!!

8. Having little conversations with my kiddo makes me so happy. I love that he can now tell me he played blocks and colored at school. It's soo cool!

9. It makes me smile that C supports all the nutty little things I latch onto.. like this blog. :)

10. My readers make me smile. Your comments, emails and just the fact that someone is reading my drivel makes my day.

Most Romantic Movies...

I was surfing online and thinking about Valentine's Day when I came across this list of the top 10 most romantic movies.

**She is Dallas Top Ten**


1. An Affair to Remember (1957)


2. The Way We Were (1973)

3. The Notebook (2004) ** yes!!**

4. Love Actually (2003) **YES!!**

5. Casablanca (1942)

6. When Harry Met Sally (1989)

7. Ghost (1990)

8. The English Patient (1996)

9. While You Were Sleeping (1995)

10. Shakespere in Love (1998) **YES!!**



I only agree with  3 of them.  I decided I needed to make my own list and share it with you my lovely readers.

Jenn's Top Ten Epically  Romantic Movies :) Not in order of epicness.

1. The Notebook.
2. Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind.
3. 50 First Dates
4. P.S. I love You
5. Before Sunrise
6. Definitely, Maybe
7. The Holiday
8. Stranger Than Fiction
9. Closer
10. Meet Joe Black

I know some of them may be a bit dark or too sexy/sexual but I adore these movies!

What are your favorites? Have you seen any of these movies and what did you think of them?

I have a fever...

and the only cure is more cowbell...


 Okay, not really but I've got a fever. BABY FEVER. Ugh! I miss being pregnant.(not to mention how fun getting preggers is!)  I miss having a little teeny baby.

It's so hard to avoid the fever too when I'm surrounded by some of the cutest babies/toddlers in the world at my job.

I have two family memembers that are expecting and I'm kind of jealous. C and I aren't in a postition to have another baby this year. We're going to aim for next year though!!! If I don't get pregnant in 2013, I'm done. So I guess everyone cross your fingers for me!  I'm hoping to have a little redheaded pistol running around someday. :)

So how about a little hair of the dog? Look at all this cute little ones and cute things for little ones I've found on pinterest!

:)










Too much cute!!!!

37 questions about 2011

37 questions about 2011

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Ummm I read 100 books and kept track of that

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? No and yes!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Co-workers and friends


4. Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit? I didn't even leave the DFW area

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? Financial stability

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Um I'm not sure..

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Surviving, everything that was thrown at us

9. What was your biggest failure? Not going back to school or saving more money

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?  Just general ickies

11. What was the best thing you bought? Hmmm, my kindle!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Monkeys!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I'll keep that to myself

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Monkey turning 2 and speaking so well!

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? Hmm, I don't know. There is a bunch.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: About the same... it's too soon to tell

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Work out.. spend more time with Monkey and C and take more pictures

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? worry.

20. How did you spend Christmas? With my lovable maddening family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011? yes. I fall in love with my son and my man every day.

22. What was your favorite TV program? Weeds, Dexter and True Blood

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don’t hate anyone.

24. What was the best book you read? The Hunger Games

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? The Black Keys. LOVE them

26. What did you want and get? a new laptop
27. What did you want and not get? a new cell phone

28. What was your favorite film of this year? I didn’t see many movies this year. The final Harry Potter movie was amazing.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 29 and went to Twisted Root Burger Co with friends/family.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?  More money.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? Comfy
32. What kept you sane? my guy and my kiddo
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?  Ryan Gosling..
34. What political issue stirred you the most? I was relieved that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was repealed.

35. Who did you miss? My family

36. Who was the best new person you met?  Hmm.. I have no idea...

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. Worry gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere

Closer to 3

Everyday my little man gets closer to being 3.Everyday he becomes less my little baby and more the big boy he will be. Everyday when I hug him close I try to memorize that hug, that moment, knowing that before I know it he won't want to hug me in front of his friends and will stop running to me.I hope that day is far far away.



When did this.....

Become this....

It's going by way too fast...

Damn you Sarah Mclachan

Between the Sarah Mclachlan aspca commericals and a writing prompt from Mama's Losin' It!, I've had dogs on the brain. I did the writing prompt a bit differently than suggested and just shared some about my pets.



This won't surprise most of you but I am an animal person. I've always had dogs, cats or birds growing up. I even had hermit crabs!  Right now, I have two dogs and I'd really like another or maybe a hamster or a hedgehog. If I were single and without a kiddo, I could be an animal hoarder. Seriously. **nah, I couldn't MAYBE a crazy cat lady**

My first dog was a cocker spaniel named Sandy. Sandy should have been named Satan or something of that vein. I was no older than three when she bit me square on the nose. I'm pretty sure she dd some permant damage,altought no one agree with me. I just know that THAT'S why my glasses sit crookedly on my face. Sandy

Then my sister and I fell in love with my Aunt's cockatiel . Somehow, we ended up with parakeets. (Note to my parents, you weren't folling anyone with a parakeet. A parakeet is NOTHING like a cockatiel.)

Parakeet--->Cockatiel---->

Sadly, all the birds commited birdie suicide. That's the story anywho and now birds creep me out.

My family briefly lived in the sticks when I was 9ish. We lived next door to my aunt, uncle and cousin.

I loved it. *Go figure* My cousin Becca and I would take long rambling walks in the "woods" behind our homes. We stubbled across a puppy one day. I was so exciting I carried the puppy to the woodline and then had it follow us to my home. I told my parents it followed me home and I begged to keep it. Two days later, it had destoryed the house and killed 2 of my uncles prize chicken. Starr as I named him/her was a COYOTE puppy! Needless to say, we let Starr back into the wild. Can you blame me though?!? Coyote pups are sooo cute.


I currently have two crazy dogs in our family. Ranger, an overweight grumpy 8 year old Beagle and Rebel, a 3 year old Pembroke Corgi. (and, yes if we get another dog he will have an "r" name. This wasn't played. I had Ranger for years before Rebel)


. I adopted Ranger in 2003. He was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I paid $182 for him. He was/is spoiled rotten.









This is Rebel. She's spunky loud and so affectionate. <3 We resuced her from a family in Azle that was mean to her. She still has a lot of fears, mostly brooms and my dad, but she's so sweet with Scout.





Ahh how cute are they?!?!


So anyone wanna get me that hedgehog? :)

I want to share a story..

Dearest Readers,

I want to share a story with you. This story will almost certainly changed how you view me, it may change how you feel about me as a person. This story was a major event in my life. It changed something inside of me.

I have hid this from many and only a few know. I wasn't ashamed. I just didn't want to deal with the drama and judgement.

Now, I want to share my story but I am still afraid of the judgement. I tend to say I don't care what others think but that isn't entirely true. In many ways, I do care what you think and I want you to like me, heck even love me. This secret story is something that must people feel VERY strongly about one way or another.

I want to tell you the story that changed such a big part of me but I'm worried what you would think and what others will think.

I suppose it doesn't matter in the big picture.  Your views on it may change how you see me now but it won't change the past.


Do I share this story and face my fears of disappointing my friends and reader? Do I keep this to myself? I am not ashamed but this isn't something I would yell from the mountaintop. ( because it is so personal and a hot button issue with most)

What's the word, hummingbird?

I've noticed a lot of people are taking words as their yearly motavators instead of resolutions. Great idea, right?!?! I know I've already done my goals for the year but I think adding a word for the year could be a reminder of what I'm hoping for.  So what's my word?  One doesn't do it for me. I'm using 3 words


My words are: Focus, Create and Love.



I'm going to focus on whats important to me. My family, myself and my work.

I'm going to take the time to make beautiful things.


I'm going to love more. I'm going to be kinder and show others love.


What's your word or words for the year?









P.S. 10 points if you know where I got the title from.

Movies I HAVE to see this year!!

I don't know about you guys but I LOVE going to the movies. I used to go all the time when I was younger. Now that I have a 2 year old and few baby-sitters we don't go that often. This year that is going to change. There is at least one movie coming out each month this year that I am dying to see!

Here's my list of must see movies.....

January 27th

One for The Money
 Based on the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich

March 9th
 The Raven




 March 23rd
The Hunger Games!!! Woot!!!!!



May 4th
 The inner comic nerd is geeking out!!!!

May 25th
 I am excited about this but it has the potential to be sooooo bad!

June 22nd
 OMG!!!

July 20th

The Dark Knight Rises!!! I am super stoked about this movie.
Not sure the how or why behind Catwoman being a part of it though.


August 17th

The Expendables 2. Sometimes a girl just want to see shit get blown up!!!



November 16th
Breaking Dawn Part 2


December 7th

Le Sigh.. I haven't found a movie poster for this one.

 Les Misérables


December 28th

No poster here yet either but
The Great Gatsby!!!

Are you kidding me?!?!!? 



 There are a few other films I'm excited about but I will definately wait for them to come out on video or catch them at the dollar movie.

What films are you excited to see? What would you recomend that I check out?

Books I read in 2011

As most of you know I challenged myself to read 100 books last year. I did it! It seems kind of silly to be so proud of something small like that. It's something I did just for me. It was a selfish goal, completely indulgent. I adore books and reading and it's a little escape for me. I'm so doing it again this year.  I'm sure some of you may be wondering just which 100 books kept me company this year... you're not? Hm, well too bad, I'm sharing with you anyway...

Actually, I'll just share my top  books of the year and I'll give you guys a lovely link to explore the whole list on your own. :)

My  Favorite Books of 2011.

1. The Hunger Games Trilogy. by Suzanna Collins



This is easily one of my favorite series EVER. I was completely transported and lost in the world Suzanna Collins created. (Yes, I'm aware that it may be considered "young adult' but it was captivating. I wasn't the only one sucked into this world. The Hunger Games *the 1st book* was made into a movie and will be released on March 23, 2012!! I think I may be more excited about this movie than I was about the Twilight movies.

2. A Song of Fire and Ice series. (A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords) by George R.R. Martin

I have not finished the series. I stopped roughly in the middle of A Storm of Swords. I needed o read something light and easy. This is an amazing series though and is also a show on HBO which I LOVE!


3. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.


Oh my goodness! I read this book in one day! Of course, I stayed up way to late during the week to do it. I LOVED it and I am very excited to read the second book!


4. The Meredith Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton

 Very fun and smutty series with fairies,magic and a few sexy scenes.

5. Blood Ties by Kay Hooper


 Loved these book.. It is dark and twisty. It's part of a larger series 12 books so far with 13 coming soon. It's got violence, magical elements and crime fighting!


6. Pale Demon by Kim Harrison


This is book number nine in The Hollows series. I was not disappointed! This series is a must read for fan of the Sookie Stackhouse novels.  Just read the series!


7. The Sabrina Kane series.



Very fun series. Magic,vampires and family drama! I'll be reading book four as soon as I get my hands on it.





I've noticed a theme in my reading choices. Vampires, magic,witches, demons and fantasy. I think I'm drawn to these books because there are soooo vastly different from the real world.


Here's a link to my goodreads books list. If you're a bookworm like me you'll love goodreads. Check it out.


my read shelf:



I'm also linked up with The Nester and her linky of books read in 2011.



What were you favorite reads of 2011? What do you plan to read in 2012?