life is ALWAYS an adventure!!

WOW!! I just realized that it's been WAY too long since I posted a blog post!! YIKES!!

So to save both myself and all of you the craziness of reading through my life in the last 6 months I'll make a list of highlights that have happened in order as I can remember them... if you have questions just ask!!

1. Relay for Life was a HUGE success!! $150,000.00 raised!
2. Got my waterfront lifeguard certification!
3. Started teaching swimming lessons and lifeguarding at the local YMCA
4. Despite major layoffs, Neil is still at Harry and David
5. Summer vacation started
6. Started working for Parks and Rec dept running a local little league
7. Kids played in said little league all summer
8. Went to girls camp with my church... FUN FUN FUN!
9. Went to Family Camp with my family... FUN FUN FUN!!
10. Celebrated Neil losing 55 lbs!
11. Got ANOTHER JOB as a DJ for KOOL 103.5 in Medford! (LOVE IT!!)
12. Abby took a header and had a concussion and a stitch
13. Chloe and Mason started back to school
14. Did my first LIVE radio show!
15. Got a new puppy. SO CUTE!!
16. Abby started KINDERGARTEN!! All 3 kids in school!

Thats it in a nutshell... I'm still loving life and staying CRAZY busy! Relay For Life 2011 is just getting underway and of course heaven only know what other projects I'll dip my hands into!

Hope everyone is having a great year! Here comes the FALL!! My favorite time of year!!

Frugal Fotos: Lithia Park Photo Shoot

I've started a new blog for my photography!! I am working on building my portfolio and hoping to help suppliment my families income as well!!

Fees are $30 for a 30 minute on location photo shoot and you get a disk with all photos and rights to the prints.

Email me if you are interested in having your families pictures done! :)


Frugal Fotos: Lithia Park Photo Shoot: "Great day with some GREAT people! These shots were taken in Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon. Many different locations around the park were us..."

Pear Blossom 5k!

I promise I haven't fallen off the earth... just got WAY busy and had to cut down on computer time... so my blog has suffered. But I am back!!

This past month has been a crazy one with many ups and downs... but today I want to post about my great success... at least I think it's a great success!!

Yesterday I participated in the local Pear Blossom Festival 5k run. I've NEVER done a 5k in my life and I've been WAY out of shape... but I set this goal last year and needed to accomplish it!

I am happy to report that I DID IT!! My goal was to complete the 5k and do it under the "time limit"I walked the majority of it and jogged the last mile or so. My husband got some great shots of me at the tail end of the race... it was 30 degrees outside so I did most of the event wearing a wool hat with gloves on.

Today... I hurt... but it hurts good!! Happy April everyone! :)

Result by the numbers:

I was 991st out of 1118 participants

My time was: 50:45

I was 651st out of 754 women

I was 104 out of 111 in my age group

Join us for Musicians for Life!!

Music, Food, Purpose

DOZEN+ Local Bands Perform

Off the Wall Music Joins with American Cancer Society volunteers and local bands to create a charity event in Central Point.

MARCH 6th, 2010 12noon- midnight

The Brick Bar and Grill

311 E. Pine St.

Central Point, OR

thebrickbarandgrill.net

$5 donation cover charge

Guitar and Art Raffle

Bands play for ALL music lovers -- from Country and Bluegrass to Rock

ALL AGES (bands set up in restaurant and bar).

BANDS:Nail, Hamfist, Off the Wall Band, Rogue Rage, Step it up and Go, David Pinsky, Hired Gun, Buzzard Songs, Dandelion Jo, Constant Tourists, GreenStone, The Key of Three, The Syndicate, Joe Medina, Merle Staton, Gary Carlson, Dan Doshier, SOSA Southern Oregon Songwriters Association.

BAND LINEUP

Constant Tourists (Gypsy Jazz, Originals) Bar 12-1:30

Hired Gun (Rockin' Originals) Patio 12-1:30

Hamfist (Folk/Country/Americana) Rest 1:30-3

The Key of Three (Folk/rock originals.Harmony) Patio 2-3:30

The Syndicate (Rock) Bar 3-4:30

Dandelion Jo (Americana/Folk Trio) Rest. 4:30-6

David Pinsky (Blues Duo) Patio 4:30-6

Off the Wall Band (Classic/Mod. Country) Bar 6-7:30

NAIL (Hard Rock/Christian) Rest. 7:30-8:30

Buzzard Song (Rockin' Originals) Bar 8:30-9:30

Step it Up & Go (Rockabilly) Rest. 9:30-10:30

Greenstone and (Rock) Bar 10:30-12

FUN FUN FUN MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC FOOD FOOD FOOD GIVE GIVE GIVE

Merle Stayton, Dan Doshier, Gary Carlson, and Joe Medina will entertain during any breaks in the music.

2 goals down! 34 to go...

The last week has been very busy and productive for me! As many of you know I set some goals for myself to accomplish over the next year. If you haven't read about them... then check it out here!

In the past week I have accomplished goals number 2 and 14! First I turned the big 3-0! I had a great few weeks before my birthday and went into my 30th year of life with a BANG!! I had a fun filled day of pampering... got a new tatoo... and my sweet husband threw me an awesome 30th birthday bash at one of my favorite restaurants 4 Daughter's.

Pictures of goal #14:

Goal #2 was to organize my garage so I can park in it... check it out!! DONE!! I have a few boxes of things that will be gone once spring comes and we hold a garage sale... I love accomplishing things!!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!! Feel free to celebrate!!

Goodbye 20's.... Hello dirty 30's!!

Murder on the DISoriented Express!!

Neil and I had a BLAST last night attending a murder mystery party at our friends house!!

We played the rolls of "Phil Ming" a chinese photographer with an obsession with Europe... and "Jemma Stone" and Austrian diamond trader who lived her life covered in jewels!

We rode aboard the "Disorientated Express" along with 5 other couples and solved the murder of Werner Von Black who was found hung in his luggage car.

It was a great time and we had fun dressing up! Here are a few pictures from the evening...

Ivan Igo and Kiki De'Leggs... SO FUNNY!!

Our wonderful hosts!! Lida Hosen and Sigmund Froid

Jemma and Kiki... little did I know I was hugging a MURDERER!!!

I HATE "hunting"!

One of the goals I set this year is to help contribute to my family financially from home. I've been looking into different home work options... sales, sewing, baking, etc. I requested information from online universities and found some great programs that I think would be great. My 2 favorites are dressmaking/ fashion design and catering.

But in this search the reality hit me that we need my contribution NOW!! So I hit up craigslist, talked to people I know who are owners or managers of companies, spoke with friends, emailed, mailed and dropped off resumes, made follow up calls and every other aspect that is the joy of job "hunting". I'm happy to report that I was actually offered a job working for a local womens Gym. If would be a set schedule that works with our family dynamics, not alot of money but commission potentials and a free gym membership. BUT I'm just not sure... I won't go into details but there's just something....

Then came TODAY!! I went on the local radio station to talk about Relay For Life and spoke with the station manager.... he told me they were hiring and encouraged me to put in an application and resume. So I did!!! And I now have an interview for the position of... RADIO PERSONALITY!!!! It's pretty much a dream job for me! They are looking for a co-host for the morning show on the oldies station... HOW STINKING KOOL!!! (KOOL is the name of the station.)

So who knows... my next post could be about a new job... or no job... or more job options... or just an update on the hunt... 'til then!!

My big 5 year old girl!!

Abby turned 5 last Saturday!! My little Zues who had such a hard start is happy, healthy, spunky and 5!!! So here are my 5 favorite things about my Abigail...

1) She makes the best "faces" she has a silly face, scary face, creepy face, funny face and crazy face... they are all very different and distinct.

2) She is my helper!! She loves to help around the house.

3) She cares for everyone in our family. She's the first to say "are you ok?"

4) She loves to read... she can't read by herself but she'll look through a book and tell herself the story outloud. She loves to have her big sister and brother read to her.

5) She's my baby... she will always be my last child and that holds a special place in my heart!

Happy Birthday Abby!!

36 goals in 365 days...

I was reading a friends blog... and of course was lead to one of her friends blog and in following this trail I've been inspired!

These women gave themselves 101 goals to complete in 1001 days. Whether or not they achieved all 101 goals on their list they did accomplish many awesome things that they were working towards in their families, businesses, personal and spiritual enrichment and many other areas. And in achieving these goals their lives were enriched!

Alot has been happening in my personal life over the past month and a half and I think that setting goals to achieve over time is an inspiring feat! So inspiring in fact that I and going to jump on the wagon!

While I admire the number and time frame these women have set I'm going to shoot for a shorter period of time and goals within it. So I officially announce my 36 goals that I would like to accomplish in the next 365 days... here we go!!

1) Find a way to contribute financially to my family from home.
2) Organize my garage so I can park in it.
3) Write a handwritten letter once a month for 4 months to my little sister.
4) Take an hour EVERY WEEK for myself for pampering (bath, massage, facial, pedi)
5) Have a girls night out with friends once a month for 6 months
6) Raise $2000.00 for the Relay for Life event in Medford
7) Continue to write weekly articles on food storage and emergency preparedness.
8) Document my food storage success better with photos and videos to share with my followers
9) Read one book every 2 months
10) Read a classic work of fiction that I've never read before
11) Take a SLR photography class
12) hold myself accountable to workout 3 days a week.
13) go a whole week without letting myself get stressed out
14) enjoy the last few weeks as a twenty-something and start my 30's off with a bang!!
15) Spend a weekend with my husband with no kids
16) take each kid on an individual date each month with mom
17) audition for the Rogue Valley Chorale
18) start writting my book and work towards getting it pulished
19) focus on my beauty not my flaws
20) Visit my sister while she's still in law school
21) book a vacation with our best friends for 2011
22) prepare my son Mason to be baptized in June.
23) not use credit cards unless it's for an emergency
24) find something in my husband every day that I appreciate and love about him for a month... writting the findings down and presenting them to him
25) finish painting the interior of the house
26) hang artwork, photos and mirrors in the master bedroom and office
27) Win a blue ribbon at the county fair
28) Win an a award for volunteerism
29) get my CPR certification
30) get my lifeguard certification
31) go through ALL my clothes and shoes and re-vamp my wardrobe
32) plant a vegetable garden that could sustain us through the summer
33) make a book/binder of family favorite recipes
34) hold once a month family all day outings. (snow, coast, farms, etc)
35) go apple picking
36) go to girls camp (well have to be invited first) :)

My 9 year old Chloe

This is about a week late... but my oldest baby Chloe turned 9! I can't believe she has blessed my life for 9 whole years already! TIME FLIES!!

So in honor of Chloe's 9th Birthday here are 9 of my favorite things about her!

1) She is a wonderful sister, daughter and friend!

2) She is very thoughtful and always thinks of others (in fact she gets in trouble in class for trying to help people when she's not supposed to!)

3) She is my first born and will always have that special place in my heart

4) She is a STRONG girl who sticks to her standards

5) She can power through a cheese pizza like it's no body's business! (Thought she won't eat much else)

6) She loves to write stories and songs and make up dances... so creative!

7) She loves her heavenly father and strives to follow his teachings

8) When she's sad she likes to cuddle her mommy or daddy... I will treasure that while I can!

9) She's like Mary Poppins's "practically perfect in EVERY WAY!"

Happy Birthday Chloe!! :)

Curly Jenn...

That would be me now... me and my full head of curls! One of my new goals is to make myself look better daily FOR MYSELF! I know there are days when I get dressed nicely and actually do my hair and makeup but those days happen about once or twice a month. I like the way I feel those days but HATE the work!

So I decided to needed a hair change. I didn't want to change the color or the length because I've been happy with both. But I needed a style that would be easy to take care and wouldn't make me want to throw it up in a knot everyday! So I did some research, talked to a few people and decided I was going to perm my hair!

AHH A PERM!! It made me think of my crazy pyramid frizzy hair days back in Jr High with the big bangs and the crazy waves in my unruly hair. Those thoughts made me VERY NERVOUS!! But then I looked into all that perms can offer "now-a-days" and felt more comfortable in my choice.

So I brought my pictures, had my consultation and just did it... ripped the bandaid off... no anesthesia! And I LOVE IT!! Of course we're only officially about 30 hours into having the curly hair but so far I really like the way it lies, the texture and the volume! I'm excited to have my new hair adventure and look forward to playing with it! Here are a few pictures of the new hair.

Snow Fun!

Last weekend Neil and I took the kids up to Hyatt lake to go sledding. It was SO much fun. We had all our gear and brought thermos' full of hot cocoa and snacks! We started on the "big" hill and quickly chose to move to another spot that was less crowded and more "family friendly". There were numerous adults and teenagers that would slide careening down the hill and some kids got knocked down. So instead of taking a trip to the ER which was sort of inevitable with the crazies out there.... we chose a better spot that was less crowded and more appropriate for the kiddos.

We defiantely plan to head back and also check out some more local hot spots throughout the winter. Hopefully do more of a day long trip that includes warming by a fire built in the snow, roasting hot dogs and of course hot chocolate!

Here are few pictures at the end of our day.

A new year and a New me!!

I am very pleased to say it's 2010!!!

I could go on about the past year and boast of vacations and celebrations or whine about health issues, societal woes, or whatever... but I am not! That is what a NEW YEAR is all about! Started anew... going forward and creating more memories for a lifetime of fabulousness!!

I have been thinking ALOT about new years resolutions. I have never really "believed" in them... but this year is different. I've had a profound thought process with wanting to realize who I am and what I accomplish on this earth. In that process I turned to the scriptures and was reminded over and over again that I am gift from God. My life is in his hands. As I trust in him trials will be sure but blessings will abound. I NEED THAT!!

So I am not making resolutions this year. Well... I am but they are more like affirmations. I want 2010 to be about positives!!

So here are my 2009 affirmations:

~I will have a healthy year! I will do all in my power to facilitate a healthy body, mind and soul.
~I will celebrate life's blessings by living in the now. Not wondering what could be or could've been.
~I will love and honor my husband and our marriage.
~I will love and honor my children as they have been entrusted to me by God... and they are a gift! (even when I COMPLETELY disagree with that statement!)
~ I will take time for me... to appreciate myself as a women, wife, mother, and all around bad@$$! :)
And last but not least...
~ I WILL DANCE!! Til my body can't take anymore!! :)

I think that adding those affirmations to my life will help me be happy, healthy and have a better outlook on all aspects of my life. I'm ready to start the new me and be the best person I can be!!
Even if I jiggle a little bit... :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!