11 Me, 11 Asked, 11 For You- Tagged

 One of my very dearest friends, H over @ Small Town Girl 

tagged me in a fun 11, 11, 11 post! I'm so glad she did, I'm working on getting better about blogging and she is helping me!

The Rules:

#1 You must post these rules.

#2 Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.

#3 Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.

11 Things About Me:
1 I adore children and love witnessing their little brains absorb and learn from me

2  I can't wait to marry my soul-mate

3 I've been blessed with the most amazing group of girlfriends

4 I loveee the HLSR BBQ Cook Off that takes place the last weekend in Feb, and the 3 weeks that follow

5 Weekends in April-Oct/Nov you normally won't find me in the city limits, you can find me near a body of water with a wakeboard strapped to my feet or a fishing pole in my hand

6 I love country music and dancing to it.. I'm aware I need some professional lessons, but I enjoy myself so that's all that matters :)

7 I'm OCD and have all kinds of lists and I live for checking them off, I'm also rather organized

8 I have a special place in my heart for the Waco FD, Waco paramedics, and the Hilcrest Trauma team

9 I carry my camera everywhere I go

10 I fear letting others down

11  Food textures freak me out.. I don't eat sushi, tomatoes, oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, pickles,  mushrooms- you get the picture

 11 Questions Heather asked:

1. What are your top 2 goals for 2012? Loosing the last of the _ _  pounds I want to loose and begin my career! Yes they both sound pretty cliche huh? But they are both extremely relevant for me this year as far as where I am in life.. 1- I just completed my degree, so now ready for the job and 2- I WILL get the rest of the weight I gained off before I walk down the isle.. So those are my top 2 goals!

2. Name one thing you might have done differently in 2011. Stress less, nuff' said!

3. Favorite alcoholic drink? Beer

4. What is your favorite color nail polish? I would have to say any color right now... I got my nails done french for about 6 years until a few months back when I decided 'long' nails weren't made for teaching. So I'm loving Shellac and any color right now, I was always jealous of girls with colors, bahah!

5. What's your dream car? Z71 Fully Loaded Tahoe.. Or a Denali

6. If you were to go meet Big Guns Upstairs tomorrow, what is one thing you would want to do today? Eek Heather... I would have to say have a party with all the people that really mean the most to me and probably would want the party to be at what I call "My Little Heaven," my river house aka San Breezy!

7. Do you prefer heels or flats? Flats

8. What is your favorite type of music? Texas Country

9. What is one of your hobbies?Water activities

10. Who inspires you most? My 3 best friends- BD, Mama and Pops

11. Favorite dessert? Cake Pops

 My Questions:

 1.What are you looking forward to the most in 2012?

2. Are you in love with Pinterest? If so- have you made anything from the website?

3. What's your personal favorite hobby?

4. How long have you had your blog and do you sometimes feel over whelmed by it?

5. What is your favorite go-to outfit?

6. Favorite type of music?

7. Do you collect anything?

8. One thing on your 'bucket list' to do before you die?

9. Favorite store for accessories?

10. Favorite season- winter, fall, summer or spring?

11. Favorite face product?

 I tag:

being brynn

the katie did blog

chapters of our life

cmae-a day in the life

The Derringer Family

Happy Monday

My most recent fav of us- BD and I out with friends during the holiday break (I can't figure out why it's flipped...)

2012 Goals for Myself

 

 

For some reason I don't do well with setting myself "resolutions," not sure if it has something to do with I'm not good with 'forcing' stuff upon myself like saying I HAVE to do exactly this!  Or maybe it's simply this.... (see below) and I fit right in the statistic with many other American's

• 62% of people make New Years resolutions
• 8% are successful
• 19% achieve resolutions every other year
 on average
• 49% have infrequent success
• 24% NEVER succeed and have failed on EVERY resolution EVERY year!

(That’s 1 in 4 people who fail each and every time they make a resolution!)

So I'm picking up right where I left off last year, I'll be honest.. I did not conquer everything I set out to do at this time last year but then again I never looked at my list on my blog again until today.. So I will be writing this years goals down in my lovely Erin Condren Life Planner to help keep better track in 2012!

In no particular order..

- Loose _ _ more pounds, get in shape, go down in clothing sizes and get ready to try on wedding dresses!
I would have to say this IS #1 on my list. I have already been working at it and have lost a significant amount of weight but I need to get back in routine and work HARDER at it!!!!!
This sums it up well...

- Eat better.. nuff' said!

 

- Stay organized!  
Notice I said stay, I'm already what I would call an organized person so I just need to keep it up.. This will be essential for me this year with starting my career and planning a wedding.

- Blog more.. seriously this time!

 - Start my career... 

This is HUGE and I pray so hard for this to happen in God's plan for me.

- Spend more time with my girlfriends I hold dear to my heart and also learn more about them!

 
-Take better care of my skin

 


-Continue to take an unnecessary amount of pictures with family and friends!

- Less web browsing, read more books and articles. 
 This will be really hard with my handy little device I just bought myself after graduation...

- Create more and finish projects I started inspired by Pinterest

 

-Speak less and listen more,  be more positive!!

 

 

 

- To sum up goals for 2012!!

 

Christmas in NYC Tips/What to do?

I'll be honest, I've never really had big dreams of experiencing Christmas in New York, yes it's crossed my mind that it would be a future dream goal, but did not see it happening in the near future..

Well a few months ago my mom randomly asked me if I wanted to join my aunt and two cousins in New York on December 17th. Well my first reaction was NO, I graduate from college on the 16th, this is a goal that I have struggled to achieve for many years and I want to enjoy the experience and celebrate all weekend with BD and my friends...  After some re-evaluating of this once in a life time opportunity, mom and I booked our flights and were headed to NYC this Saturday!!!! 

Due to my busy schedule I have not had a lot of time to do research like I normally do when I am going to a new place, I'm the queen of reading reviews, looking at pictures, and just over all doing research...

Soo I need some tips, ideas, suggestions, etc.

Where do we go? What's a must to do? 

I know all the "norm" such as:

Rockefeller Center

Times Square

Radio City

Macy's

Central Park

Fifth Avenue

We are also defiantly going to:

See the Broadway play Wicked

Shop at Canal Street

Visit the 9/11 Memorial

Shop at H&M (we don't have one in Houston yet...)

Go to Kleinfelds (I looked into getting an appointment just for the heck of it, they are booked until Jan. 13.. I don't think they would be too happy if I went in and tried on dresses and really didn't have intentions of buying anyways...ha)

So what else is a must to do in NYC during Christmas time? 

Any tips on how to do something or anything you've experienced while there?

Anything is appreciated!!!!

Thankful Thanksgiving Postings Update!

  I totally failed at my Thankful Thanksgiving posts I only got 10 done but there are 30 days in November, so after calculations, I did not complete 20!!!! Eeek, I promise I had full intentions of completing 30 days of what I'm thankful for! Not sure what I was thinking, knowing I would be completing my student teaching semester and all of my end of semester projects and papers but honestly on November 1st when I started to post about my thankfulness I did not see "time" getting in the way of my posts, oh well such is life huh? So I planned on catching myself up and completing my 30 days of Thankful Thanksgiving posts but I have decided to just move on from it.. So better luck to me next year! 

Thank You to those who commented and were interested to follow along! 

I have so much to be thankful for and could posts something all 365 days of the year, I'm beyond blessed!!!! 

So I will begin doing my thankful Thursday postings again to keep up with what I'm thankful for each week!

November- Thankful Thanksgiving 9&10

 

 November 9: Today I am thankful for life. Yes just simple life! After experiencing thankful #1, I have had a complete different outlook on life.. I used to be quick to judge people by their looks or what they do or things they said, no I am not proud of this but I'm strong enough to admit I USED to do these things and I do not anymore! My outlook on it is that you do not know what that person has been through nor do you know what they might currently be going through. I see looks people give my Bubba when we are in public all the time or hear people make comments about the immature things he says, I have learned to just swallow with pride and tell myself my Bubba is perfect just the way he is!!! 

With all that aside cause that is not where I was going with my thankfulness..... A young man I went to grade school with took his life last Thursday, unfortunately I am unable to attend his service due to my commitment in student teaching. I am thankful that although life has had me down in the dumps sometimes and I've had to go to some serious counseling in my life, I was able to over come those hard times and stand tall and proud today!

November 10th: I am thankful for ALL of my friends! Really old friends (as in known for a long time..,) old friends, and new friends!

November 11th: Today I am thankful for our TROOPS and VETERANS! Happy Veterans day to all those who have served! All those currently serving, return home safe and know that your service is appreciated!!!

 

November- Thankful Thanksgiving 7&8

 I would like to express my thankfulness and appreciation for my lovely girlfriends now but I've been beyond blessed in that category so that post is going to take a little more time than what I have right now, so those will come in another post...

November 7th: Even though there's a lot of craziness and political controversies going on right now, I STILL feel extremely thankful to live in a country known as the "land of the free." America is a place of opportunity! There is so much room for people to grow, with a strong drive and dedication people can succeed in whatever they aim for rather it be owning their own business, becoming CEO of a company, earning their masters or doctorate, and much more! People in America are ambitious, bold, and confident! I'm thankful that I'm an American citizen and call the USA my home.

God Bless America

November 8th: Something else I'm extremely thankful is rather fitting for today, since I did this today... The freedom to VOTE! Not only just that as an American citizen were allowed to VOTE but we have our own free will to VOTE for whoever and whatever we personally choose!

 

And this is exactly how I feel.......

 

November- Thankful Thanksgiving

It feels good to know you're loved... I have not posted since July 25th, but I have been checking my reader's list almost daily again lately. With the new blogger layout my amount of views is easily readable as soon as I log in, each time I log in I've been noticing I have about 30-50 more views than I did the last time I logged in. Not sure who has been looking, but it's nice to know that after almost a 5 month pause, people are still checking hoping just maybe by chance I actually blogged...

Well I'm in blogging mode again! Not that I ever was in a "funk" or did not want to blog my absence was simply just due to lack of free time and topics to blog about. I always seem to get that blogging hype near the holidays. 

I've been seeing friends on Facebook participating in the "Thankful Postings," I am eager to participate but not via posts on Facebook... Soo what better place to do my daily Thanksgiving postings about what I'm Thankful for and get back in the swing of blogging than my own personal journal AKA Love, Life, & Laughter with Jenn?!?!

I like to think of myself as an extremely thankful person, not only in November or in certain situations, but year round. I pretty much Thank people when they do just about anything for me... One of my favorite ways to Thank people and show I care is by sending them a person written card :) 

Let me catch up:

November 1st: With this tragedy happening 2 days prior (but 8 years ago..) it's obvious on this day that I am Thankful for my Bubba but also God and miracles happening. The year after that post (see link above) I had a different outlook on the situation and I can not recall crying once that entire following year, not even the weekend or day leading up to that day I always dread. I was so proud of myself! This year did not follow suite... I had a rough time with it this year, I cried pretty much every day for the week leading to the day and spent a lot of time alone that weekend. I am not sure if extra stresses taking place in life that I've had built up inside just finally hit me and then mix the date in the pot and it just all over boiled or what but let's just say I was an emotional wreck. Non the less, that is one of the most Thankful blessings I have in my life! 

 November 2nd: The day prior's Thankful obviously helps lead to this one.. My (insert the best adjective you've ever heard here with a synonym such as: amazing, fantastic, great, best ever, etc.) Parents!!! Words can not even begin to describe my Thankfulness for my parents. I grew up with my family being close and spending as much time together as possible and with parents who always showed how much they cared but never did I really think it would turn into what it has today. They are truly 2 of my very best friends!! Not only do they always "know whats best for me" but they give their advice and reasoning for why they know this but then they step back and let me make the decision of taking their advice or not and learn on my own why or why not that was a good decision. They continue to support me in life's ups and down's not only as my parents but also as my best friends, they are sometimes standing in front of me to help lead the way but they also stand beside me to walk the path with me. I could go on and on but to sum up why I'm so Thankful for my parents, they have Faith in me no matter what!

November 3rd: I'm thankful for the opportunity to complete my B.S. in Interdisciplinary studies and be certified to teach EC-6 in a little over a month. When I graduated high school in 2003, my college graduation seemed just a few years away and like it was going to be an easy task to accomplish. Never did I think that I would be finally finishing in Dec 2011. Three short months after beginning college  I was blind sided (refer to Thankful Nov 1st) and medically withdrew from my first semester of college courses. With anticipation of returning the following semester, then led to taking a few years off. After returning, college did not come easy to me. Not only was the routine a struggle but it seemed like the learning disabilities that I had always struggled with hit me harder and harder every year there after, ha. Fast forward a few years and I was faced with this situation that situation but no need for those details because who has not been faced with challenging situations in their lives, right? But now here I am today, a time of the future that seemed so far away, a discussion of a time to come that continued to be pushed further and further back... A soon to be college graduate!

 I feel like this picture is rather appropriate...

November 4th: This guy deserves to fall pretty high on my Thankful Thanksgiving list! I could go on and on about my fiance' BD and why I'm thankful for him. But this post would turn into a book. He walks beside me in all I do, he supports and encourages me to do better and pick myself up when I'm down. I have to give him credit, coming into my close nit family and fitting in and putting up with our high strung fast paced life isn't an easy thing to do, but he did not have one bit of trouble with it! He is extremely shy and doesn't talk much but he just goes with the flow and fits right in like he's been a part of us forever. BD and my mama have a relationship that no one would ever imagine since he is so quite.. They have nick names for each other that they always address each other by, they text almost everyday and she loves him to death!!! To sum my thankfulness for him up, we've had our ups and downs but I wouldn't change a single moment of it cause it has got us to where we are today! He has made life style changes not only to better himself but also us and I am extremely proud of him! I look forward to conquering all of lives adventurous with BD by my side!!

BD and I in Galveston for our 4 year Anniv celebration in July 

November 5th: I am thankful for all my extended family! That includes my dear sweet Auntie Cousin Joy who is watching over us in heaven and her husband Frank who I just love to pieces!!! My Pops brother and his wife and my 2 cousins and their little ones! My mamas 2 sisters and 1 brother and the awesome cousins they have given me! Also my cousins significant others that have married into the family.

I don't have any recent pics to post saved on this computer to post... But we have plenty of great photos together :)

November 6th: My future in laws! They have accepted me for who I am and welcomed me to the family with open arms! I'm probably not the easiest future daughter-in-law, I'm really talkative, I'm sometimes all over the place, I'm real particular on things and have to have things a certain way (MAJOR OCD,) and I'm kinda hard to shop for on Birthday and Christmas gifts... But they still love me and support BD and I! I look forward to many family memories to come!

again I don't have any pics on this comp...

If you are still reading at this point.. Thank You, ha.. This turned into a really long post. I'm looking forward to 24 more days of what I'm Thankful for!!!