[blocked]

i have been SO busy lately. i have a love.hate relationship with busy schedules. this time is a crazy time at work and with it being light out later, i am definitely craving spring break.

however, with all this other stuff going on, i have found myself looking at a blank screen and my fingers itching to write,  but my brain is saying otherwise. i have found myself, speechless. nothing. notta. zip. zilch. for those who know me, this is your chance to celebrate.

what motivates you? what inspires you? how do your creative juices flow?

please share. my fingers want to write.

so for now, i'll share my latest SPRINGsperations. what did we do without pinterest?

these items really just get me excited for the coming season.
baseball, bbq, adult beverages, and cute clothes. a few of a my favorite things.

cardinals.

love the blue color of the cover up. the bag is a great touch.

i need this. probably my favorite item i've pinned.

adult beverage freezer pops. genius. 

mint and nude. so classic. 

happy monday folks.

catch up.

...doing what?!

i apologize for being absent recently. it blows my mind that when i have an abundance amount of time i do not get anything done that im supposed to. 

weather has been crazy lately and that means two snowstorms ::Blizzard of Oz:: and ::Toto's Revenge:: have hit our area. 12 inches of snow each time. i do not remember, if ever, if i have ever seen that much snow in one time. it was not my style to say the least.

bad weather  = snow days for teachers. ::bittersweet:: free days off, but make them up when the weather is actually nice out. can't win them all i guess.

so here i am. "catching up"...from not doing ANYTHING. 

first of all, celebrating babies. 9 beautiful ladies in my life (DO NOT drink the water!) will be having babies between March - July. what in the world was happening 9 months ago that everyone was "staying in"? good lord. however, i can't wait to see all the babes pretty soon. 

second of all, getting back into a routine of working (that stuff is for the birds.) the kids are crazy, spring break is in two weeks, and testing around the corner. why even try sometimes? :)

lastly, i've been MIND blown by all the generous people in our lives for the amazing donations made in my brother's honor for the NEDA Walk in KC on what would be my brother's 23rd birthday. my mom and i started out with just a "want" to walk and maybe raise a few bucks, now we have a team of 18 walkers, and 29 people who have donated. we have raised $715 of our $1,000 goal. people are absolutely so *giving* and it makes my heart happy. i know my brother is gone, but it is truly powerful how other people and his name can sometimes make him feel so alive...i know he would be proud of us. all of us. 

You should check out our page for some really interesting facts.

Team Brandon: NEDA Walk KC

On that note, my mom and I will be traveling to Jeff City on March 28th for Advocacy Day. We are lobbying with NEDA and meeting with Legislatures. God has a plan for me. 

I'll post more on that when we return. 

In the meantime, I will go drink my tea (yes, tea don't even want to talk about giving up coffee.)

Enjoy your week. And when you feel down or impatient...just remember this...

save the date.

therapy. 

we met with our golf pro last weekend to work on details of our 2nd annual brandon jacques classic. it was inspiring and really motivated me to get a move on this years save the dates and registration. june seems like a while away, but itll be here before we know it. 

in the past, i always had other people design it or anything for that matter. however, i had forgotten that a class i took during my masters taught me how to save a slide in powerpoint as a jpg. 

so i got busy.

it took me all of 20 minutes and i was pretty proud of myself. not to mention, it was very therapeutic for me. 

i know my brother would approve too!

hope to see some of you there!

sweet treats.

amateur hour.

for those of you that know me, know that i struggle suck in the baking department. ive never really enjoyed it, therefore, havent really cared to get good at it. but last weekend at the bridal expo, i tried so many great cupcakes that i had to give it a try.

let me tell you, if i can do it; a monkey could do it blindfolded. does that paint a clear enough picture? 

i love red velvet. anything. 

so i choose to do red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. not sure this is on my diet/ eating healthy plan...but its all in the name of baking. 

the cupcakes were easy. mix everything together, bake for 18 minutes. however, i did sprinkle the cupcake holders with flour and used a measuring cup to pour. i felt like this gave me better control.

the icing...

i put the icing in a ziploc bag that was inside of a tall glass. 

close up the ziploc. 

 kneed the icing to soften inside the bag.

 once the icing is soft enough, cut off a small hole in the corner of the bag. 

(my first bag was a small hole and the second bag i made a bit larger, i felt like the larger hole gave me the look i liked better)

 one of the finished products. 

 the end result. 

i felt like i improved as i get closer to the end. 

 im not posting this to gain bragging rights, however, to maybe inspire another NOT-SO betty crocker to give it a whirl. it really wasnt bad. i will definitely be giving this another shot soon. it was cheap, easy, and tasty.

enjoy! 

loss.

pain.

this weekend i received news that one of my dear friends lost her dad to a long battle with cancer. my heart is so heavy for her and my heart cant help but feel pain and numbness again. in times like these, there are no words that can take away our pain, hurt, and selfishness. but we must celebrate in the fact that he has gone to be with Jesus, in a place where cancer, pain, and sadness doesn't even exist. 

while my dear friend begins her grieving process, i know that her life is forever changed. i pray that i can pray with her and be the strength she needs when she cant find her own or be the silence when words cant come out. i owe this to her because she was this for me through my grieving process. i really do believe God had a plan for our paths to cross and we will never have all the answers to the WHYs...we can trust in Him and know that while we don't have all the answers or even understand the plan - we can trust there is one. a great one at that. 

please keep her and her family close in heart and prayer. 

there is nothing like that father/daughter bond. it is something special and unspoken. as little girls, our daddies are the first men we love, trust, and confide in. and that never changes. i am lucky to have the best dad around who has given me confidence, guidance, laughter, and so many great memories. i can't help but realize just how lucky i am.because my dad deserves a post all of his own, i'll leave just one picture.....because for now...im just thankful. simply blessed and thankful. 

uplift.

positive pinsperation.

with friday around the corner, i thought we could all use a little uplifting. some more than others. 

enjoy.

TGIF. 

love,

h

things im ::lovin::

the month of love.

february is here. can you believe it? and the groundhog says that spring will be here early. certainly not soon enough but i'll take it.

i was thinking about what to blog and i thought what a better way to start the month of ::love:: with the things i am loving right now.

i love reading what other people are loving and getting new ideas for things. i am loving all these items so in now certain order here goes...


1. Tech Candy iPhone 4 case: Dillards
I love that this set came with two different colors for my mind that can never be made up and a metal covering. It is so easy to change and very sturdy. Highly recommend.

tech candy iphone 4 case from dillards.

2. Merona Bella Genuine Leather Cap Toe Flat: Target: online only

I got these for Christmas. They are amazing and so versatile. I can wear them at work with dress pants or jeans on the weekends. They are super comfy and do stretch so be sure to keep that in mind when ordering. I usually wear a 6.5 in Target flats but had to get a 6 in these babies. I would take them in all colors.

Target Merona Flats

3. Simple Moisturizing Face Wash: Target
I am pretty picky about what I put on my face. I found this face wash with vitamin "goodness" in it and have loved the way it makes me skin feel. Highly recommend. Coupons online.

Simple: moisturizing face wash

4. OPI AvoJuice - Jasmine scented - Beauty Brands
Holy Smokes! I can't take all the credit for this find because I received it for a gift but this stuff makes your hands feel like silk. It is truly amazing and the Jasmine scent smells awesome. I will always have this stuff available to my dry hands!

 5. Chobani Banana Greek Yogurt
I am picky about my yogurt and just started eating Greek yogurt this year to stay on the healthy train. I love the banana flavor because it's not as "chunky" as the other kinds and it really does taste like bananas. I usually eat it plain but it wjcp sophie skinny corduroy pantould be tasty with some granola and fresh fruit added.

6. jcp Sophie Skinny Corduroy Pants: JCP
I found this in Fierce Blue on sale for $14. They are so cute and really get my excited for Spring. They fit great and also come in petites for shorties like me. They do stretch so be careful about the size you choose. JCP was being pretty difficult about be borrowing their photo so here is the link:
jcp sophie skinny corduroy pant



i know it's not much and it may not be new to you, but i am certainly enjoying these items.

what you are loving in february? i would love to hear.