2011

Instead of looking back on 2010.. I'm choosing to look forward in 2011. I have so much going on and so many things I'd like to accomplish. Crafty projects, school, redecorating, goals, and much more!

Crafty Projects- Coffee Filter Wreath & Yarn Wreath DIY style!

School- Pinning and Graduation Baby!

Goals- Make time for my husband and family! Redecorate my house. Set a budget. Find a JOB! Find a church home. Gym membership. Lose Weight. Get fit! Make time for vacation! Make new friends. Buy new tv. Buy a new couch.

Have a Great Day!

oh the things that make me happy!!

It has been so very long since I've blogged and I could not be happier than to sit down and write about everything that is going on these days. I am happy tonight as I just got done making my FIRST shutterfly album, oh my gee.. I'm in LOVE! It was so so easy and looks so cute! This one is a christmas gift and I still have one more and a christmas card to make so I've got some work on my hands!

Life Lately: I'm finishing my fall semester of school which only means ONE thing.. one step closer to my LAST yes LAST semester of college! I cannot wait to be a nurse. However, let me just tell y'all what I face now. I have tons of exams to take which doesn't really bother me because it is what it is but I always said "i'm going to be a nurse." Little did I know that was the easy part. Now I actually have to figure out what on earth i'm going to do. I would LOVE to stay where I am but I just don't know if it is gonna happen. I'll miss those babies if it isn't do-able. Side note- working in a hospital nursery makes baby fever REALLY controllable. I'm worried that if I don't stay with the screaming cute babies that I'll want one of my own and THAT JUST AIN'T HAPPENING! heck-to-the-NO! Knowing me and my luck we'll have triplets, better yet, make that quads. If that happens you bloggers better find me a good plastic surgeon! no joke.

Speaking of babies my little pup is growing so big! He is almost a year old and he is a stinker. He whines, pouts, and has the biggest most cutest puppy dog eyes. However, he slobbers water, is crazy about ice cubes, and likes to eat my underwear no matter where they are he WILL find them. And I'm not even talking dirty undies... I'm talking dig through the clean clothes to find my panties.. NOT COOL!

Some more randomness- The only holiday we have decor for is Christmas so I'm really excited to get a tree and start decorating, even if it means less studying for finals! I have been listening to christmas music since Thanksgiving and I'm addicted to it. I listen to it at home, in the car, grocery store, ANYWHERE! it really keeps me calm in all of the hustle and bustle.

Oh, speaking of hustle and bustle we went black friday shopping this year and it was really fun! Thursday night we went to the outlets with my grandma. SHE cracks me up! She is a 65 yr old wonder woman. I felt so bad because we were dragging her in and out of stores and she was keeping right up with us AND didn't even have to use her inhaler! I was so proud of her and it was such a fun memory. I think I take after her compulsive shopping though! I was determined that Jason was getting me a Coach purse because it was my bday that night and she was right there beside me snagging bags and saving us a spot in line. She is one of my favorite people ever. Everytime she comes and visits it reminds me where I get my sense of humor, honestly, and SMALL FEET! Sad note (but don't cry) having her in my life makes me so thankful, in some ways it just makes up for losing my dad at such a young age. They have always been such a huge part of my life and I love them with all my heart! cheesy but for real.

Our first thanksgiving went well- Jason, my cousins, and me made pumpkin pie and mac-n-cheese. It was our first attempt at pumpkin pie and this crock pot mac but I must brag..my mac-n-cheese was bangin! However, my lovely hubby and goofy boy cousins dropped the pie on bradleys legs on the way to the house and had the GUTS to stuff the pie back together.. ughh.. we still ate it so it's all good!

Wow this post is forever long and I have so much more to blog about so I'll just leave it for another day!

Enjoy!

Jen

Shutterfly Love

I posted earlier about how excited I am to have the opportunity to get 50 FREE christmas cards to send out of our new family!! I am so excited.. I just cannot believe I haven't found out about shutterfly sooner than this! We just got married in May and this will be our first Christmas as a 'new' family! I have been planning on making christmas cards for months now and then this offer came along at just the perfect time! I'm so addicted to shutterfly.. gimme more gimme more!

Here are a few of our favorites from their selection...

i LOVE this card.. the colors are so spunky!
i super LOVE LOVE this one because our pup is a chocolate lab and I can't wait to spend the holidays with him and the hubby this year!

And last but not least I think this one is super cute and classy!

I am also working on making shutterfly albums! We have tons of pictures but none of them on our new cameras so I'm having difficulty filling the albums with pictures that aren't just from the wedding. If anyone needs holiday gift ideas Shutterfly has many different options.. stationary, calendars, and such cute albums!! I'm so excited :)

BEYOND EXCITED!!

I'm so excited.. I have been wanting to do Christmas cards as a family for the last few years but since we weren't technically "family" yet we just never did them! This year, I found out that on shutterfly they are promoting 50 FREE holiday christmas cards for all bloggers that blog about shutterfly! What a perfect opportunity! It's getting chilly here and I have been tempted to jack up the christmas music and start decorating already but I figured Jas could only handle one month of that so we'll settle and I'll do it in a few weeks! I can't wait to design a family christmas card to remember our VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS as Mr. & Mrs. Chinnis!

Love Love Love my husband! He has been so encouraging and supportive in the tough times lately. We have been faced with tons of medical bills (with no solution to my issues) and he has been very realistic and keeps me in line so that I take everything one my one. I put everything off because of school being so hectic and then when I get a day to chill out I focus on all the other needs like a messy house, bills, homework/projects/meetings, and trying to spend time together and with family. On the rare days that I actually get to sit for a minute my mind just races with everything that there is to be done. Thats when I'm most thankful for my man. He holds me, comforts me, and encourages me to take everything one day at a time.

Yesterday was our 5 year anniversary and we spent it by going out to dinner and then studying! It wasn't the best way to celebrate but gotta do whatcha gotta do! We spent some time talking about the last 5 years and pondering what the next 5 years could bring! Will we have kids? Where will we travel? Where will be live? Who will our friends be? Lots and lots of questions that only time will tell!

How's Huxley?? Our pup is no pup anymore. He will be 1 in December and we think he has finally reached his growth spurt. He is over 60 lbs and is just as much of a pain as always! He learned how to whine and he uses it daily.. very annoying! He still likes to bite and nibble and tends to bully Jas more than anything! He is super sweet and tender and gives lots of sloppy kisses. His favorite food is ice and anything that we are eating. He really likes chick-fil-a fries but will eat ANYTHING in his reach. He thinks he owns the whole house and he is pretty much right. He sits in our cup chair, fluffs the pillows on the couch to get comfy, and rolls around on our bed (even pulls the sheets and comforter with his mouth and digs with his feet) to get comfortable. I'm thinking maybe this weekend we can try and get some family pictures but we shall see!!

Enjoy!

married life takes work..

Yep, there I said it.. married life takes work.. well it's definitely not easy. I think going into marriage we totally thought we wouldn't have to work on things because we'd been together for 4.5 years and we had this.. WRONG! Jas irritates me, yells when all i want is peace and quiet, leaves stuff all over the house, rigs things that require fixing, doesn't do things i ask, and the list goes on.. BUT with all of that said we are learning so much and we are learning to work together and communicate and make this work! We may argue and be mean at times (mutually) but every time we come out of it and know we love each other and want to make marriage work because we are spending the rest of our life together! Also, in his defense I'm a brat, and yell/fuss, make it seem like nothing he does is right (when they are totally fine) and am just plain annoying at times.

We have been married for 5 months and will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary on the 26th.. school is crazy crazy busy and I graduate in less 6 months!! I cannot wait to be a nurse and I definitely cannot wait to have more time to spend traveling with the hubs and making more time for family and friends...

Right now life is just sooo hectic and crazy that I barely have time to think but blogging does keep my sanity so be looking for more..

blah blah blah

I usually get really annoyed when people don't blog and keep me updated on their lives and then I look at mine and I'm pretty much WAY more of a slacker than most.

We have been crazy busy and since school started I've had a test every week and Jason has been working like crazy. When we get home we focus on school work, dinner, and spending time with huxley since he is caged all day. However, this weekend I have other plans. I'm hoping to take huxley to the dog park to let him swim in the pond on saturday and then just leave sunday up in the air so that we don't feel tied down with plans. I know sounds pretty boring but when life is going going going full speed it's nice to take a breather every now and then.

Updates

-jason got a new car. it needs a little smell good on the inside but it has AC and gets good mileage so that's all that matters.. it is a 2003 White BMW Passat. VERY GIRLY but we're lucky he got a car so it's all good.

-I registered for graduation so in 6 months I will have a bachelor's degree and will be able to take my NCLEX and I WILL PASS :) soo excited to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

-Jason is looking for a youth minister position so he can step in as full time youth minister. which is so scary for him but I am more than excited because I know he will be great at being a youth minister.

-we are looking for a new church aka the one jas get's a job offer at!

- suddenly our 9 month old pup is not a pup anymore. he is more like a toddler. He squeaks his toys 24/7, eat pillows, doesn't listen,m and very much bully's jason all in a day's work.

-we are hoping to get away to the islands with my family this summer but it's all on stand still since i have no idea when my boards will be :(

-we are doing a little decorating of the house. we got a new couch that huxley seems to think is his. painted some touch ups, added some picture frames, and it's season's time so i can put up decorations.

i'm beginning to feel like this is all hodge podge so for now i will go study and maybe post some pictures later.

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