The Party

The wedding party

After a long while.. (15 years) My Aunt Amy and Uncle Dave are tying the knot! They are eloping, but that will not stop my family from throwing a party for them when they come home! I was nominated to have this shindig in my backyard, which I would have wanted anyway. I love to throw parties and am super excited to host this get together.

I want to make it as beautiful and elegant as a backyard wedding can be! This means I have to tap into my crafty and thrifty side.. which I love to do as well.

I am picturing a pergola with a chandelier, lanterns lighting up the trees and beautiful flower arrangements made of hydrangea, Lillie's and delphinium.

I was going to make a cake, but opted for cupcakes instead. I haven't decided on the flavors yet, maybe this would be a good time to consult the bride and groom!

Only 13 more days!

My friday morning....

This morning was my second time to the square. There are a myriad of people who just can't seem to make enough money for clothes, food and toys. The picture above is of a little girl who was just so happy to have someones old teddy bear.

This week I had over 25 bags of clothing, shoes, belts, bags, and household items!! A lot of it was my grandfathers ... and it made me happy to see how many people benefited from his HUGE collection of clothing!

I plan on going again this coming Friday. If you have anything that you want to donate just let me know, I will gladly come pick it up. You can e mail me at jessicajc4@aol.com

Bitchin' Saturdays

This weekend was great! I love the new tradition of "bitchin' saturdays" even if they are followed by sluggish sundays.!
This Bitchin' Saturday we went to the boardwalk. Yes it was hot, and yes it was packed full of benny's, but we still had a blast. There were rides to be ridden, ice cream to be eaten and prizes to be won, and we did it all!
The girls have a new bestie.. his name is Dan. He went on all the rides with them, played the arcade games and even let Riley hitch a ride on his shoulders!

The Impala...

This is my Grandfather George's 65 Impala.. I LOVE this car with a passion. Not only because it kicks ass, but the memories that it comes with. On Pop's 80th birthday shindig we tried to take it out for a ride..but it didn't want to start. All it needed was a battery, but Pop insisted that we should just wait until another time.. He never wanted anyone to go "out of thier way"...

Had I known that was going to be the last opportunty to go for a ride with my Pop, I would have ran to the store at that moment...

just some randoms I took....

It is wed. already?

So far my summer is nothing like I imagined it would be. I had these big plans to have the house organized and clean.. my flower gardens overflowing with blooms, and a bountiful vegetable garden. Well, lets just say that my house is in disarray, the flowers are not doing all that great, and my veggie garden only has a few tomatoes and 1 pepper!

My visions of having this are now becoming my determination to get moving!



The problem is, I can't pinpoint where I am going wrong.

I cleaned and organized all last week. The kitchen, the pantry, the bathrooms, the kids rooms, even the garage (for the millionth time) It just seems as though within 20 minutes everything is a mess again! I know that having 2 very active girls and a slew of family and friends can make things a bit unorderly, but I just cannot seem to get it all together..

I am always searching magazines and websites for new and crafty ideas. You know, the kind that headline "get your shit together in 2 minutes" (ok, not quite those words) But it all seems to be more fantasy than reality. For example: I was reading a very popular house and garden magazine which suggested ways to keep your house organized. After reading this article, I looked at their "where to buy" section. Well, I figured out that after all the crap you need to buy to get organized you would be spending at least $1500.00! I don't know about you.. but I don't have that kind of money and if I did, I am not sure I would spend it on shelving and label makers!

Here are a few snapshots of my gardens....

My lonely Banana pepper...

They use WHAT??

I just HAD to share this...

I am on my way to the doctor.. nervous as all get out.. (You know.. the kind of nervous that feels like you have a colony of very angry, vicious butterflies in your stomach?) As I try to remain somewhat calm on the 30 minute ride to the office, I take a sip of my coffee.. and think of all the things I could be doing instead of driving to Oakhurst for a flippin' root canal.

When I arrive, I grab my I Pod and head into the office. (still fighting those pissed off butterflies) I sit in the waiting room, secretly hoping the endodontist had an emergency and I would have to reschedule. (I know that is totally ridiculous, but hey, wishful thinking) Then the dreaded name call... UGH. As I sit in the synthetic leather chair I surprisingly calm down, and start to regain the feeling of excitement! This might sound odd.. but I am now one step closer to my goal!

The Doctor, whose name is Fabio by the way, starts his business, and now I am rocking out to the Black Eyed Peas as he is drilling away.. Out of nowhere, I get a whiff of BLEACH! I winced, at which point Dr Fabio asks me if I am in pain.. My response was.. ISH DA BLETCH? He answers.. Yes! WHAT? Apparently Clorox works wonders for root canals..

..................... Who knew????

and so it starts

So I guess I am an official blogger now. I know a lot of people who blog, and I figured I would give it a go as well.... Not sure if anyone will be interested, but here it goes..

There are WAY to many things that have happened (good and bad) in the recent past to update everyone on.. so lets start from today!

I have an endodontist appointment in 2 hours.. now most people would NOT be looking forward to such an appointment.. I however, am excited. This is the first of MANY not so appealing appointments that I will be going to in hopes to get the smile I have been dreaming about for quite some time.

Having this appointment meant that I had to find a sitter for the girls.. And to my amazement I found one in my cousin Mike... He really is turning around and becoming quite a man... I hope he continues on the right path. Not that he is, or was a bad kid.. He was just making some decisions that weren't always the best. I think he is headed in the right direction now.

Over the weekend I went to the most FABULOUS place I have been to in a while.. Recycling the past is an awesome architectural salvage yard! I cannot believe I have not been there before. It was down pouring.. but there I was in my flip flops, wet, covered in mud and loving every minute of it! Next time I go I will be sure to remember to bring my imagination, some measurements, and a pickup truck! I highly recommend this place to anyone who loves to be creative!