So everybody put your best suit or dress on.

So I'm a little late I know, but I was off visiting my most darling boy.

I never really make new years resolutions, this year though something really came over me to write some things down.

I'm not really sure if I want to call them resolutions I'm still trying to figure that out.

I think they are just things I really want to try and commit to, things I hope to do, and things I think will help me as a person in general.

Some are just fun and some are more legit but either way I just wanted to share my list.

1. Make one to recipe a week- This year I began to dabble my hand in baking but I really want to be able to make a real good mix of everything. I don't plan on being the most amazing chef ever, just hope to provide more nutritious home made meals. It was hard to want to cook when it was just for myself but with boy visiting every weekend and my lovely weekly potluck, my desire to learn has become very important to me. I got 8 new cookbooks for christmas, lets go!

2. Yoga three times a week- This is super important to me. I've been told I need to do yoga for years. I have a few videos and do it once in awhile but never really committed to it. Then after this last semester I took a modern dance class and yoga was part of every class, just to center ourselves. I always felt so at peace and well stretched. I want to bring that into my life even without my class. I hope to keep it up!

3. Spring Garden- My Nan used to keep a garden in our backyard, but just doesnt have the time anymore. So there is perfectly good soil going to waste. Greg and I really want to keep a garden once we're married someday, so we figured now would be the perfect time to learn. We plan on doing research and starting easy, but we're very excited. Any tips would be so helpful!

4. Compost- Wanting to garden really came from my this years obsession with compost. Sometimes I have random urges to research things and make them apart of my life. Compost was that thing in 2010. But with nothing to do with the compost, I did the research but never actually started. Now that we plan on gardening I can commit to compost. oh yay!

5. Love more intentionally- As I get older I realize the importance of people in your life. I see that the older I get the less and less friends I seem to have. Not because of fights, or "not liking", but for the sole reasoning of life. Life happens. You keep growing and not everyone grows together, but everyone grows. Instead of spreading myself so thin, I want to be more intentional on loving those close and make sure they feel appreciated more regularly.

6. Snail mail, seriously.- A lot of the people I really love aren't exactly the closest to me in living vicinity. I want to remember to show them how much I love them in way more personal ways than facebook, bleh. I hope to commit to sitting down and writing or crafting at least a letter a week. Wish me luck!

7. Learn to french press- This is something I have wanted to do for the last few years, but haven't been able to commit to. I also have a lot of people in my life who are passionate about coffee. And after writing an extensive 12 page research paper about it this semester, I have to admit I am a little bit too. But I REFUSE to be a coffee snob. I will never look down on someone for coffee, if you want to educate people about a passion the silliest way to go about it is to first offend them for something they are currently doing. Thats just a good way to build walls. I want to learn it as an art, I want to be educated!

8. Take a cake decorating class- Long ago when I was in high school I worked at a craft store. The cake decorating classes seemed a must, but also seemed to be a mom thing. Haha! Now I have at least 2 friends who say they would be willing to come with. I think it would be a really fun thing to do together.

9. Don't let the sun down- I don't know why but as of late I have been thinking much about the verse in Ephesians that says not to let the sun go down down on your anger. But I just want to apply it to any extreme emotion. I don't want to go to sleep with anxiety, or being upset, or angry or feeling hurt. Not if its my own doing. I cannot make other people fix things if they don't want to, but I need to do my part to make sure it doesn't happen. I'm sure you know by now I hermit under stress and worry. I'm trying to get rid of that this year. It will definetly be a challenge!

10. Vitamins, Vitamins, Vitamins!- This one is simple. I have a bunch of vitamins I should be taking daily that I neglect. I need to start taking better care of my body. I constantly run on empty to be able to be everywhere and have a really hard time ever saying no. Well, if I'm not healthy I cannot help anyone. I need to get going. gesh!

11. Get Organized- This does not just mean stuff (although it is a huge part)! It means life. Relationships, school, schedules, work, I know this is something you always have to revisit and work on, but I want to take it serious this year. The next few months I will be sorting, shelving, boxing, labeling, saving and planning.

So thats it! Eleven things I hope to do in 2011!! The beginning of the year feels so fresh, I am excited for everything this year will bring. I can't wait to look back at this next year and see how well I did, should be interesting.

Do you have anything you hope to accomplish this year? Hope you feel as refreshed as I do!

xoxo jess

Its a beautiful thing when you love somebody.

I AM FREAKING OUT!

I have been dying to share this with you all forever now but I had to wait until post christmas.

So my boyfriend, you know the tall tree resembling one? Well, he is absolutely the most impossible person to gift for. Simply because he wants nothing but would be happy with anything. For instance if I brought him a stick from my backyard with a bow on it he would find it to be the most thoughtful thing and save it forevermore.

This is both one of the very reasons I love him and one of the very reasons he is so difficult.

Then one day it came to me.

A friend of his who graduated from Houghton, the very lovely Miss Elizabeth Jancewicz, does some of the most beautiful work I have seen to date. You know when you're looking at something that someone has produced and you cant believe you are actually lucky enough to say you know that person? Ya its pretty awesome.

Here are a few of my favorites..

Anyway I approached her and asked if she wouldn't mind doing a portrait of Greg and I. I knew it would be something he treasured, he loves her work very much. She happily accepted and told me her magical brian started moving right away. I gave her no guidelines I really wanted her to have freedom.

I met up with her in Rochester and she handed me the package. I sat down and opened it and my eyes immediately filled with tears. I was speechless. I know that may be hard to believe but it true, I had no words to express not only how beautiful it was, but how thankful I was to her.

Ya, I know. That's us. It is us in every way.

A big big biggggg thank you to you, Elizabeth, you totally captured our souls. Sending love hugs and thankfulness your way.

And to everyone else please check out her page and enjoy all the beauty.

Greg and I just sat and stared at it for hours. So perfect.

Elizabeth asked me if I would be interested in doing an art trade which I have never done before. So in turn for this beautiful work I am making aisle chair hangings for her upcoming wedding. I cant wait to share my sketchbook and prototypes for this! SO excited.

Hope you all had a lovely holiday!

xoxo, j

Christmas time is here.

AH!

I have had so much to blog!!!! But literally have felt like I am in hyper speed.

I promise after the Christmas my updates will be normal again.

Here is a quick peek at some holiday fun and friends I have been enjoying! yay!

So much more soon. I had miss jessicas fourth annual christmas party! i cant wait to share photos from that and other sillyness soon!

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE AN AMAZING HOLIDAY!

xoxoj

Friend of the week part II

I AM DONE WITH THE SEMESTER!

That's right. I made it. I finished.

I am so excited to have some time again for blogging and other goodies.

But I just had to blog, RIGHT NOW!

Sometimes I see something and I am so overwhelmed with beauty and joy and inspiration I just absolutely need to share it.

So here goes..

Friend of the week: Hayden Welch

Hayden and I went to high school together and I had the pleasure of taking some art classes with her. I graduated two years ahead of her, but I always knew she was going to make it. She had something super special. It wasn't just her talent, it was her soul, her spirit, she is a lovely human being to share any time or space with.

Today she posted some of her newer work. I cried. By now in reading my blog I'm sure you know I am a complete sap, but really I was just moved.

She has just grown into herself even more than I could have imagined and what she is producing is simply beautiful. She is currently studying in Italy, and I hope she is soaking every moment.

A few years ago I wrote my first children's book. Hayden immediately came to my mind and I asked her to illustrate it.

The first time I received any of her drawings in the mail, I was speechless, it was like she took my brian and translated it for me. I was so thankful. It is on my back burner for now, but my story and her beautiful work will be revisited. For sure.

Sending love to you dear!

Whew! I just had to get all that out!

I have the next 5 weeks off of school. Do you know how much time that is?

This evening I have been compiling a list of everything I would like to accomplish in that time, I hope to share that with you later tonight or definitely in the morning.

xoxo jess

With a little help from my friends

So may I just share a really happy story?

So three years ago one of my "kids" got this vest for school and I was totally in love. It's from gap kids and since I oddly can fit into gap kids xxl (haha) I went to get one. Sadly they were sold out and never restocked. Everytime Emmie would wear it to school I would say how much I loved it and I wished it fit be because I would steal it.

So Emmie's mom asked me to stop by after work the other night because the kids got their new photos done and she had my yearly set:)

I did, and the photos came out great. Ps not to brag but I got a bigger size than wallets which I think makes me special. haha.

Then Annie (mom) told me Em to bring in my gift.

Gift? I was so confused.

Then Annie explained this was supposed to be for my 21st birthday which was almost two years ago, but it took forever to find.

When I pulled back the tissue paper I just cried and was literally speechless.

I kept saying "are you serious?" and "how did you even remember?"

She said she looked on Ebay everyday for over a year and finally one still with the tags came up and she snatched right up.

She kept apologizing it was two years late and I just kept hugging her.

It was probably one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me.

I was overwhelmed by such sweetness and the realization that people really care.

People care. Even if you don't see them everyday. Even if they never call. Even if you only spend small amounts of time together. Even if all you did was teach their kids preschool.

They care. You leave imprints on hearts even when you are unaware.

Love has no boundaries and knows no time frames.

"Love is real, it is not just in poetry and stories, it is truth and it will follow you everywhere you go from now on."

xoxo j