My cup isn't half full… it's overflowing

If you read this blog at all you know I am a bad blogger and I am always behind in my updates… that is the last time I will say it. From here out, just expect my posts to be long and spread out. Now…*AHEM*

Well, we are 18 days into the dead year; you know… the year the world ends. (I freak my students out every time I say this. I pretty much have a countdown until the zombie apocalypse… because that IS whats going to happen.)

Anyways, my 2012 resolution is to not eat out as much as I have been (hopefully to finally get through 30 days of no eating out - soo hard!!!) and to freaking finish this list before we expire. I really need to kick my butt into gear by the looks of it. Can I extend my “due date”? I guess I should just play by the rules and see how much I can actually finish. I blame pintrest and castleville for blinding me with their awesomeness. Before you judge me on the whole castleville thing… I WAS 38^th IN THE WORLD! It was my duty to maintain my ranks, if not climb higher within castleville royalty.

You will need to forgive me. My mind is jumping all over the place and therefore you will be too as you read my words. Just try and follow along. OK. Great.

So much catching up to do! And so many weddings! (ok, just two – Emily/Andrae & Thomas/Liz… but they are my best friends ever… and really, that’s a lot of “OMG- WEDDING!”)

Time to cross things off the list:

#4 – rescue an animal. I may have reworded this one, but it still applies. I got my brothers dog, Lizzy. He gave her to me for Christmas (after two year of asking). She is a Silver Lab (I know, I know, silver is not a recognized Lab color. Well go bite your pinky finger. She is a Lab and she is silver and she is AKC registered chocolate). Lizzy went from fulltime outside pup to fulltime spoiled rotten inside dog who loves cuddling, getting belly rubs, and playing with riley (emily's dog), leeloo (michelle's dog) and Carmen (lizzy’s sister, a cat).

#37 – Get paid to take pictures. I WAS PAID TO TAKE PICTURES!!! Thank you Aubrey, Matt, & Liam! Some of the lovely pictures follow:

#39 – Get my teaching certificate! Done! Now I just need to pay to put my other 5 certified areas on it (all together will be: life science 8-12, math 8-12, math/science 4-8, ESL K-12, Ag Technology 6-12) I am so awesome.

#53 – Watch the sunrise and set in the same day. I do this all the time: go to work – see the sun rise; go home from work – see the sunset. I have to say that I enjoy the sunrise a lot more than I enjoy the sunset. Maybe it is the crisp feeling of the morning or just the idea of a brand new day. There are normally more clouds in the morning too, and that always adds a dramatic effect. Writing and thinking about this makes me really want to add “see an aurora borealis” to my list. Some day. One day.

#58 – get 8 hours of sleep in the same month. DECEMBER I slept like a… dog. SO MUCH SLEEP TIME. I did not want to go back to school/work because I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep ‘til 8/9am anymore. I should be sleeping now instead of writing this, but I slept so much last month that now I am super charged! (ha… if only).

#97- Delete unwanted pictures from computer. Organize photos on external hard drive. I couldn’t believe how many pictures I actually had taken. And more than half of them were completely pointless – can’t wait to dig into my photo files in 5-10 years and make fun of myself.

#77 – Featured photos for October, November, & December:

October… Steven and I met half way in New Orleans!! We spent a BEAUTIFUL day in the French Quarter

November… I took "christmas" pictures for Jessica & Kyle. I fell in love with their wiener dog.

December… I set up a photo booth for our NYE party. Needless to say it was a huge success.

I only have 50 more things to do. I have a feeling my list might be changing again soon.

**this is my little shout out to Lauren and Megan… smiles!**

ONE more YEAR

Thats all I have left.

That's all WE really have left thought, right? Since the world is ending in December 2012? Ok so really a year and 3 months… the countdown's already begun.

But I only have ONE YEAR left until my sand runs out; until the last petal falls; until my time is up. 1001 days - gone, over, the past. I still have ONE YEAR left. THAT terrifies me. Where did my days go? As I review my list, I have to ask myself - WHY haven't I done more?? WHY am I waiting? WHAT am I waiting for?? And then it gets depressing. If THAT is how I want to live my life, why am I not? I picked these goals. I set them in front of me. WHY do I find myself not able to "make time" to do what I WANT to? This goes on and on and on and creates a very silly circle of crazy uninspiring loops. Time to move my cheese myself (Who Moved My Cheese - read it if you haven't).

Ok I am done venting. I am once again focused on my AWESOME 101 list.

Now it is time for updates:

19. Make a masterpiece

Painting with a Twist. Breakfast at Tiffany's. My 24th birthday. I amazed myself.

54. Complete the DPS (Digital Photography School) weekend challenge 50 times (8/50)

These also count as the featured photos (77) of August and September.

"A day in the life"… of my cat Carmen

"rooms"… my kitchen.

55. Organize my iTunes library

I did this some weekend in August (2011). I was not in the mood to do anything. So I opened iTunes and went to work. Now every song has a title, artist, genre, and cover art. :) my music is happy.

81. Drop something I “have” to do

So I bought A&M season tickets. WHOOP. We already knew that. What you didn't know is that I didn't even go to the first game. NOPE. I really wanted to and felt like I HAD to (you know, because I'm an Aggie, and because I paid out the a$$ for the tickets.) but I didn't go. At the very last minute (the night before) I decided to go to Sam Rayburn lake with my Dad, Gpa, Steven, Caitlin and Wim. We were going to go fishing. We left before the vampires fall asleep for the day and drove 3 hours… just to find out that it was WAY too windy and we couldn't put the boat in the water. NO FISHING :( so we watched the Matrix, grabbed something to eat (had the BEST banana pudding), and drove 3 HOURS back home. I missed my first Aggie game as a season ticket holder, but I definitely got to spend some quality time with my family :) (still wish we went fishing… I would have loved the stories)

85. Stop at a green light

So I am working on my CDL… so I can drive a BIG YELLOW BUS. Yep - Thats just something that comes along with being a tennis coach. I feel like I am learning to drive all over again. Only its not in the "green monster" it in a FREAKING SCHOOL BUS!!! Well I get nervous REALLY easy and my first time off the parking lot my trainer had me practicing right turns. (just FYI… I always ran over curbs in my truck and the school bus is like twice its size. Talk about a heart attack!) Well I was coming to a light (green) and I stopped… I didn't want to turn. I eventually slapped myself in the face and told myself not to be such a pansy. I turned the bus to the right AND I didn't hop the curb!! BONUS!! I am going to be a beast at driving busses!

Sweet Summer Sunshine

I did something I think is against the rules. I changed my list. BLASPHEMY! In my defense, a LOT changes in 18 months and so, well, it morphed right along with life.

Aside from all the changes – a lot really has happened. It has been a very productive, exciting, relaxing summer.

*I finally used the gift certificate my dad got me for Christmas for a private handgun lesson and a concealed handgun class. I was a pretty good shot and I’ll only get better. I mailed off all my material a week ago. Now I just need a gun… daddy ;) Get my CHL #31 – check.

Thats 50 rounds... I am pretty damn proud of myself gents.

*Some may boast of prowess bold

Of the school they think so grand


But there's a spirit can ne'er be told


It's the Spirit of Aggieland.

I GOT AGGIE FOOTBALL SEASON TICKETS 2011! WHOOP!!!! #38

*Sweet summer sunshine is the best on the beaches of Florida – especially when awesome people surround you. This Florida trip was rebellious a bit. Tattoos and drinking and playing with soldiers – people honored us… really (ok maybe just Michelle). In all of our crazy fun, I...

made a pizza from scratch (even the dough. It was so delicious. #67)

dough is rising :)

toppings under the cheese: tomatoes, orange bell pepper & chives

toppings over the cheese: pepperoni & pieces of bacon

pizza cooked :)

second pizza being devoured... they loved it.

smoked a cigar (normally say no to. The worse part was that the taste stay in and around my mouth for two days – brushing the teeth did NOT help), and ate some bean soup (I HATE BEANS and I purposefully took a bite of the lentil soup. I about barfed. Beans are gross… unless I cannot taste them. You can try to get me to eat them all you want and if you disguise them well I probably will. But if not… upchuck your way. No bueno).

nasty bean soup! (look at all the beans!!!)

The best part was… **WARNING** I got to be all lovey dovey with Steven. Sigh. It really does suck that he lives 600 miles away.

Steven and I - about to go on a bike ride

The gang!

Our dollar... hanging in McGuire's.

It reads: "Dallas Mavericks 2011 Champions. I <3 Dirk. Would you look at THAT!"

*Photo of the month… two in July since I didn’t get out much in June…

Getting the tattoo "la belle vie"

Life in the fast lane... ohhh yeaaa.

*I was not quite ready to go back to work once I got back from Florida… and my insides turned on me :/ So Saturday I spent the whole day in bed. READING (#11) I read the first two books of The Hunger Games trilogy – addicted. Best part… I read them on a nook. I really really really want one now – THEY ARE SO AWESOME! I FEEL SO POWERFUL WHEN I CAN HOLD A WHOLE LIBRARY IN MY HANDS! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA….. I don’t know why that is evil – just go with it.

*Katy Flatland Bike Ride. Going 31 miles. THIS SUNDAY. Thankful John is riding with me! (#18) Pictures will follow… maybe.

Welcome to the largest city... in TEXAS

HOUSTON

May photos:

JPS wanted me to take some pictures of the skyline. I love the last one... think of it as a shooting star (really... its and airplane)

"Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are shooting stars? I could really use a WISH right now."

Something I would normally say NO to... (8/10... I think)

Bikini wax. I know, you just made a OUCH face. I had to make a pro/con list.

Cons:

1. Hurts like a MoFoing Betch.

2. Possible BAD reaction.

Pros:

1. NO SHAVING for a month

2. baby bottom smooth.

3. I can say "be there, done that."

I think it was number pro #3 that finally pushed me to wax my whoha. Also, Emily said it wasn't that bad.

SHE LIED.

I am pretty sure that waxing was worse that child birth... given if they happened for the same amount of time. I felt like my skin was ripped from my body. AND it was supposed to be the "ouchless" kind. MY ASS! I cannot handle pain. so sensitive. I am crying thinking about it. Kidding. But seriously, pain.

Picture Crawfish. Picture Colorado.

I have a LOT to catch up on....

1 - Before & After

Before: $20 coffee table - garage sale. Pine top. GREEN bottom.

After: Pier One table :) Top stained. Bottom painted black.

(trash to TREASURE!! #33)

Before. Nasty Patio area.

After: my little TREE (#5)! pond is now a flower bed :) and clean! *note: a week later the landlord did a lot of work on the house and actually painted the concrete in this area a beige color.

2 - April photos (#77). Crawfish boil. 70 pounds of mudbugs. Family and friends.

3 - DPS (photography challenges) #54

"Mothers"

"Solitude"

"Fathers"

"action"

"low point of view"

4 - Solved Rubix Cube. Jessica Smith, Thank you for teaching me the ways of the cube. #13

5 - Something I would normally say NO to... Saturday night was Kelsey's graduation. She is a MASTER! SoWally, Kelsey's brother, talked me into shotgunning a beer. He also told me to puncture the can with my vampire like teeth. HA. It went all over my face (thats what she said) and then I couldn't pop the top when they started. I finished a good 5 seconds after everyone. Hey it was my first time... I know what to expect now... even though it probably wont happen again. Beer is yucky. But I find to be drinking it a little more than I use to.

SPRING TIME!

yard work all weekend has inspired me...

Oh Jes, Jes, with little rest
How does your garden grow?
"With tangerine tress and little red poppies
All mulched to perfection for show."

:)

Crossing off numbers 5 & 13

#5 - Plant a tree. My little tangerine tree. Perfect spot - right outside the kitchen in the atrium/porch area.

grow a garden. Emily and I planted poppies and three different kinds of summer flower mixes (blue, pink and yellow). I cannot wait for them to bloom and to make fresh flower bouquets for the house :)

We also MULCHED everything and RAKED all the hidden leaves and PULLED all the horrible weeds. I have blisters, a sore back and dirt covering my entire body. The yard is beautiful. Emily and I want to stand at the curb and just admire it from afar.

We also bought a coffee table! It was not pretty so we sanded it and stained it :) AND we finally got around to painting/sealing the huge spool (outside table) my dad gave me :)

VERY productive weekend. VERY tired Jessica.

(before and after pictures to come!)

Catch Up... not to be mistaken for Ketchup

First things first... February Feature Foto. I got a new camera. Just bigger and better and shoots video. Very content.

Yes. Awesome.

Emily and I took roughly 75 pictures of our babies, Carmen (kitty) and Riley (dog).

We just can't get enough of them.

Second is the best... March photos. I know its not the end of March yet, but I know this picture will be perfect to sum up the month.

Beach anyone?

Spring break.

Florida.

SUNSHINE.

bliss.

my TaTas got burnt.

Remember to practice SAFE SUN!

:)

Third place goes to... DPS weekly challenge #1 (I need to do 50 of these??? better catch up!)

Geometric Picture.

I took two.

Which do you like better?

or

Bringing up the rear... NO TEXTING FOR A WEEK. wow. I am pretty proud of myself for this one. AND today marked the 8th day of no texting. How long can I go?? FOrrrEVVVerRR.