Don't drink the water.

We have an epidemic people! A baby epidemic. Seriously though, everywhere I go all I see are babies or pregnant bellies. There are atleast 5 pregnant girls in my area at work, and even more that have given birth in the past few months. Then there is family, my adorable nephew James who I am dying to hold and squeeze! My brother's girlfriend is pregnant, my cousin... so on... I'm not complaining who doesn't love a cute baby to hold. But I'm getting to the age where people are starting to put pressure on me to start reproducing. Tony and I have been married over a year now and I'm clearly not getting any younger. I'm just not ready. As much as I love those little bald heads and adorable giggles, I just can't see myself caring for one. It seriously scares the crap out of me. Tony is a bit older than me he'll be 29 this year so I think his biological clock is ticking. When I think of being a mom though, I think of someone who has their life together and figured out. I am not that person.

I know everyone says "you can never be prepared for a baby", But I disagree. I think you can plan ahead and make sure you are financially prepared, and that is all I want. All my life I dreamed of getting married and having a wedding, but never in those dreams did a baby pop up. I hope someday I'll just magically be ready. Until then these 2 are enough of a handful for me.

Yeah they look cute and innocent. It's all an act!

To end on a positive note, I know someday we will have kids maybe in the next couple of years. I would be lying if I said I didn't feel a little twinge in my utureus when ever I see a cute baby. TMI? Maybe.

Baby Jen.



Baby Tony, Can you believe that blonde hair?



They're goals not resolutions.

I know this is a little late. We're now a couple weeks into 2011, although I did come up with these goals at the beginning of the year. I've never really been one to set "resolutions". I see resolutions as something that everyone assumes only lasts until the snow melts. So this year I decided to set some goals for myself, to help keep myself accountable in 2011. I have a feeling this is going to be a great year, hopefully one where I can figure out where my life is going with a little more certainty. So here in no particular order are my goals for 2011.

1. Reach my goal weight.
 *I've been doing weight watchers on and off since July of 2011. I started to lose a few pounds before our wedding. I lost about 16 by October. I remember seeing that number weighing in for the first time. I couldn't believe my eyes that I had let myself get to that point how did I not see it? July 2009 I started at 210 pounds. As horrifying as it is to post that.  I'm doing it, to show I far I've come. After the wedding I quit for a while and gained most of it back though. I started back for good February 2010. I wasn't doing the best I would lose and then gain and then lose and then gain. I wasn't getting anywhere. Then Tony joined with me and we've been doing it together for a few months now. I've consistently lost every week since he started doing it with me. Right before the holidays I weighed in at 184. Which I realize is still heavy and I know I still have a long way to go, but I've lost 26 pounds! Something I've never been able to do before. I believe that I will be able to get to my goal weight by this year though, I haven't decided what the weight is but I am actively working towards it. Which brings me to numero dos.

2. Start a regular workout regimine.
 * This is something I've never been able to stick to. I've had a gym membership for almost 2 years and have rarely used it. So I've been trying to get my money's worth, and whatever helps me reach my goal faster I'm all for. I've been trying different things to get my activity in. I absolutely LOVE Zumba, it is such an amazing workout but it is so much fun. It's burning calories while shakin my ass, and I am so on board! I got a zumba game for Christmas so I've been shakin' it at home in my living room. Which took me a while to get used to. I also tried a dance class with liz and the gym, which was quite a hardcore workout. You don't realize what a workout dancing is until your calves/thighs/arms/muscles I didn't even knew existed are throbbing the next day. I also do the eliptical and a little bit of walking on the treadmill. It seems to be getting easier the more I do it. Who's going to be jacked this summer? THIS GIRL!

3. Get out of debt
 * This was actually my "resolution" last year. I didn't accomplish it. I now it will happen this year. I will pay of my first care this year, which will free up a good chunk of money to start putting torwards other bills. In case anyone doesn't know, credit cards are the devil. Actually any kind of credit is the devil. It starts so innocently with one little credit card, before you know it your whole wallet is filled. I feel like It's good to have learned this less at a young age though. I hope that I can someday teach my children smart money management. Well as soon as I figure it out. I just have to keep telling my self that you don't need that new pair of shoes or new dress. Hopefully this time next year we will have saved enough or be on our way to a down payment for our first home! I will be repeating this mantra in my head whenever I'm tempted "New house!"

4. Photograph one wedding. (even if it's just shadowing)
 * So this is not something I have shared out in public. Tony got me a "professional" fancy schmany camera for christmas. Something I've been wanting for a while. I've spent so many years trying to figure out what I want to do with my life to no avail. This year it finally hit me, it was just an ah-ha moment. I want to be a photographer. Wedding/families/people in general. I've always liked photography but have been afraid to take the leap.  Well this is my year. I don't tell a whole lot of people about this, just because it's so new and I have NO clue what I'm doing yet. But I'm going to have to get the word out there eventually, so here it is for the first time. I wanted to start another blog for it, a picture a day blog or something along those lines. I haven't quite gotten around to it yet. My first step I was thinking about is just emailing other photographers. There are a few I know, just to learn from them and possibly shadow them to see how it all works. So this is a goal this year to shadow one wedding this year. I'm not a very outgoing person when it comes to this kind of thing, so I get a little panicy on the inside when I think about it. That's part of the goal though is to just put myself out there!
So I think that is my list of goals for 2011. Wish my luck and courage, I'm going to need it!

And because a blog post is always better with a picture. This is me opening my camera.

I'm seriously a child when it comes to Christmas.

My face is dis-gusting in this picture but it shows my surprise.

Muah, Jen

Stepping out - Logan Christmas{Style}

This weekend we headed down to Logan for our annual Logan Christmas. A tradition that just began last year. Hosted by Liz and Ashley. I didn't get a very good picture of my outfit like I meant to.

Sweater - Old Navy

Belt- Target

Dress- Forever 21

Necklace- Forever 21

Leggings - Target(you can't see)

Boots- Steve Madden (also are unable to see)

Liz and Ashley made an awesome dinner for everyone, everyone ate and drank and was {merry}. Later on we did a white elephant gift exchange, which I must say was awesome. The array of gifts was amazing- from a bottle of wine to a gigantic elvis head shaped lamp to a snuggie or there was the 1970's exercise bike. It all made for a good time. Later we headed out and danced the night away. I have one picture to sum up the fun we had, and possibly the amount of beer my husband consumed.



Tony in the middle of his {Dance Off}




Ok I lied, 2 pictures.



Tony asked me not to post the pictures on facebook, so I respected his wishes. But I figured only approximately 4 people read this, and Tony is not one of them, so he will never know. So for your viewing pleasure, Tony mid dance off. Let's just say he was hurting Sunday. So we've been watching T.V in bed all day which has been glorious. Hope everyone had a great weekend too!

Big Bones??

I've been hearing this one for quite a while. Unoriginal and hurtful. "Oh honey you're not fat, your just have bigger bones." What the heck does that mean anyways? It's not a "nice" way of saying it, it's mean! That sparetire has nothing to do with my bones, big or not. Although I sound like a broken record, my weight has ALWAYS always always been a sore spot for me. As I get older it's not getting any better. I've slowed down with my desk job, and dinners out have certainly helped with packing on the pounds. For a while I pretended not to notice. My pants were shrinking, it had nothing to do with the 3zillion calories I just inhaled in faster than an asian guy can eat hotdogs. Well Tony and I together finally decided to do something about it and have both been attending weight watchers together. I've technically been doing it since February, all by myself which wasn't going very successfully. Now that Tony has started doing it with me I have successfully lost weight each week. I have lost 16 pounds now and Tony has lost 14. Although I realize I still have a long way to go, I'm feeling pretty good about what I've done so far. I gotta a little more swag in my step hehe. People are finally starting to notice and my clothes are getting a little looser. I have set a goal for my self to be in a single size dress for Liz's wedding. I told someone that, and they informed me with my hips that may not be realistic. Oh well, I'm doing it despite my baby bearing hips and my big bones. I have 7 months which is more than enough time. I know this is going to be a life long struggle, but I will not let my "big bones" get in the way!

Giving Thanks {Part2}

I was lucky enough to have a 4 day weekend. Although now I need a weekend FROM my weekend. We were nonstop every single day. Thursday we drove to Dayton for Thanksgiving with my Dad and family. Unfortunantely I forget to take any pictures. But theyr my family and I'm stuck with them so their will be plenty more pictures. Friday we did the Black Friday thing. I was up BEFORE the butt crack of dawn - 3:30am and ran around until 3:30pm. No crazy black friday stories to tell though. It was pretty tame, and luckily no panic attacks from me. Saturday was the annual OSU vs. Michigan game. Tony and I headed to campus with some friends. It was a good time and Ohio State won just like we knew they would ;-)

All bundled up like Eskimos.

Thankin Jesus for a win!

Sunday was more football. I had gotten Tony Cleveland browns tickets for our anniversary. They were playing the Carolina Panthers ... so it was his 2 favorite teams. Couldn't pass up that chance! So on the last day of our long weekend we woke up early and headed to Cleveland. The drive there was uneventful.

When we first got into the stadium.

Eskimos again!

So thats the end of our weekend. We camehome and baked some cookies. (We cheated it was frozen dough) And spent what was left of our weekend together. A weekend like this makes it SOOO much harder to go back to work. I call Tony probably 30(million) times more on a Monday than any other day. I always miss him after spending all weekend with him. Corny... Hope everyone else had a good Thanksgiving weekend!

Giving Thanks

This is early, but lately I've been thinking about how lucky I am. Sometimes I don't realize it, or I get down on myself because I don't have a stellar job or I don't have the money for a new pair of boots. But I am loved and surrounded by people that I love and for that I am Lucky. Here are a few things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving.



This picture is pretty sick
But it makes me laugh



*My Husband. Sometimes I get so welled up with love I could pop. After almost 5 years together I am still sooo in love. I know everyon says that but I really am. Yeah sometimes the romance may not be there when I'm brushing my teeth and he tries to pop a pimple on my face for me (gross, but it happens more often than I would like to admit). But when I come home to a clean house or to a hot dinner and he kisses me on my forehead after a LONG day at the not so stellar job, I know the little things count.





*I'm thankful for my Dad and my Mom and my (Step) Mom. Although our family is a bit unconventional I wouldn't have it any other way. As I get older we all get closer. Sometimes I wonder how they dealt with me as a teenager. I fear the day I am the mother to a teenage daughter. Especially if she is anything like me. Although I was well behaved for the most part, it was always an emotional roller coaster. And for that I am also thankful - that they put up with my shit.




A bit unconventional

*The pups. Some people don't understand the love of a dog. They're not technically people. To me sometimes their better than people, little furry cuddly cute people. Our dogs have so much personality and they love us unconditionally.  

 

 *My close friends. I've never had TONS of friends ... But I have a few BEST friends. Over the years and across the miles we've stayed close.

 

*My job- as much as I complain and maybe I don't love it. I am lucky to be employed. We are able to put food on the table and go see a movie if we want. At work I see so many people that can't pay their mortgage because of losing their jobs or an illness they couldn't have predicted.

*Becoming an Aunt - I had to come back and add this. Tony and I became an Aunt and Uncle yesterday. I love Tiffany and David, Unfortunantely they are so far away, but seeing pictures of their brand new baby boy filled me with love and joy for them! Also it made me excited for Tony and I's furture(someday).

* There are lots of other things I am thankful for ...they may seem trivial,, but to me they mean something. I'm thankful for my black steve madden boots, and my blue blazer I found at the thrift store. I'm thankful for my Jeep that I love driving everyday. I am thankful for living smack dab in the middle of 2 major malls... and so on. I hope everyone has a glorious Thanksgiving! I'm excited for ours. We will be spending it with my dad out in Dayton and going shopping the next day. Wish me luck ... hopefully I don't get trampled!

Steppin' Out *Game Day*

This is my first time "steppin out". I'm not going to lie, I laid in bed thinking of my outfit days in advanced. Which may not say much... because my outfit may not be that great. Point is ... I am E-xcited!
The original plan was to go down to the OSU campus and tailgate, but those plans ended up falling through. A perfectly good outfit wasted on the pups and Tbone. Well for your viewing pleasure ...

Cardigan - Old Navy

T-Shirt - Buckeye Corner

Jeans - Old Navy

Boots - Steve Madden (Macy's)

Necklace - Random vender on Lane Ave.

Ring - Premier Jewelry

I pinky promise to dream up some better outfits for next time.

Ps. Hopefully I did this right? hehe