I love (or should that say triangle?) my job!

Alright folks...it's been few days since a post and I must say that there has been a milestone since then! I made it through my first guests/group at work. I feel that it went well and that is the feedback I get from others, so that's great!

I'm going to make this short because I could likely ramble on...and on...and on...and on (ha! you get it!)...
I had a great time with the wonderful people/team that I work with serving the groups on property this weekend. I got a true slice of joy at serving alongside them and realize that I have complete peace as God continues to assure me that I am in the right place. My heart just seeks to serve people and I love seeing them enjoy themselves and having an enjoyable time!

If you want a little peek into some of the crazy antics I get to enjoy daily, then just check out the most recent pictures (and I think there's a really short video) on my Facebook today and you will soon see just what I mean. And that's just the tip of the iceberg!

Anywho...I love (triangle) my job!

On to the next adventure...

Forgot the final picture...it's late and I am about to be down for the count.

What do you think?

King Cake Anyone?

So my latest adventure, which took place this evening, was making a King Cake for Mardi Gras tomorrow. I am not from New Orleans (or really anywhere near there), so I have NEVER made a King Cake in my life. Now, don't get me wrong...I know to a small extent what Mardi Gras is (I don't live in a hole), but we never really celebrated it at our house and, therefore, I had never made a King Cake...until tonight.

I thought making this cake would be an adventure to blog. I enjoy cooking and I thought it would be fun to "celebrate" Mardi Gras for a change. So in the style of these great blog writers that showcase their pictures, I thought I would do the same. I laid out a sampling of the things I was going to use and staged them so it would make this great picture. Assuming this was going to be no biggie (ha!) I assumed I would just take pictures throughout the process. So you can see my lovely staged picture below:

But you can see that the next picture below is what my kitchen ACTUALLY looked like during this process, so the whole cutesy picture thing went out the window as I was struggling to make something edible and keep it from being a COMPLETE disaster!!

And of course, you had to let the dough rise and it said to put it in a warm spot. But where do you find a truly warm spot in KY in February, so I put it in the laundry room with a heated fan and the dryer on (I thought it was pretty clever, but a bit ridiculous)

But in the end, I pulled this beauty out of the oven and was pretty impressed considering I wasn't sure if I had done ANY of this correctly. (It's not glamourous, but it's mine!)

Then I assembled the decorating items (colored icings and sugars) that I made and went to town!

But all in all, it was a fun, yet tiring experience and I'm not sure I would do it again soon. But I guess I have another year to recuperate and practice my skills before Mardi Gras comes again!!

On the other hand, my house does smell pretty scrumptious with that cake fresh out of the oven!!

On to the next adventure...

Walkin in Memphis

I LOVE when people post a blog of just pictures that shows their recent adventures. Nothing quite says what a picture can say without words. Pictures are my favorite...they bring back memories from a moment in time.

So without further ado...these are a few pictures from my first return trip to Memphis this past weekend. It felt so good to be home even though it wasn't long enough!

My two favorite dudes (well I guess one is a "dood")

Taking some time to enjoy coffee Saturday morning befire everyone got up.

My sister and sweet Chloe

Eating breakfast with the family

Shopping for REAL cowboy boots

Look what we found

Treat time for all the dogs

Ending the weekend with a trip to Gigi's

Thanks to Brooke and Grace for helping me with this post! If it weren't for them, I might have given up on this "adventure," but they've given me hope!! (Sadly this is only my second post).

AND three cheers for Memphis joining the Big East!!

Starting Over

We all do it...start these crazy blogs and then never follow through with posting on them regularly. Or at least that's me. I started this blog over a year ago to let others know what was going on in my life. However, since I interacted frequently with those for whom I started this blog, it was in and of itself pointless. Plus, it goes without saying that I'm not sure I'm very clever and witty when I write these posts.

But I decided to "start over" with my blog. I recently moved to Kentucky at the beginning of January and am no longer a 20-minute drive from my family and close friends to personally entertain them with my daily stories. So, I don't want them to miss out on the fun and funny (or maybe not-so-funny) things that happen in my life daily. Besides, as I renamed the blog, I am embarking on lots of new adventures by taking this leap of faith in moving to Kentucky.

I don't promise to be funny, clever, or witty. I just want to share the adventures in my life and maybe you'll get a laugh (or two) out of it.

Before I close the post, I wanted to let you all know that I left my sweet Otis at home by himself for probably the first time EVER. He usually stays with family when I have to be out of town or away for the night, but since I no longer reside in Memphis, I didn't have that option. Fortunately, I have some great people checking in on him and he did GREAT!

I think it's safe to say that he found my pillow while I was gone and burrowed into it. I can only assume this as the bed was made when I left and not when I returned.

But that's alright. Besides, how could you resist this sweet face?

Until the next adventure!

Leaving on a jet plane...

Ok so really...it's um 7:30am on Saturday morning and I am awake??! (Well I guess for those of you who know me well it's not THAT early, but I had really good intentions to "sleep in"). Anyway, I am up and decided to post something since it's been awhile.

I am getting ready to take a trip "over the big pond" as it's commonly called. I think now would be a good time to play a rousing game of "Where in the World is JJ?" My friends like to think I am a world traveler and that is nice of them to say, because I would like to be that. Nothing quite like traveling and getting exposed to new and different things! But it does take time and money, which I don't usually have a lot of either of them! So for those of you who do not know where I will be headed (most do because I probably have been too excited to contain myself), then you are just going to have to deal with the suspense. I am going to TRY (that being the operative word here!) to post some while I am abroad. Maybe if you get really lucky I might post some pictures (actually it's not that you will be lucky, but I just have to pick my jaw up off the ground, contain my excitement, and take time to post!). he he
In fact, the suspense is killing me not to tell you where I am headed, but that will make you come back for more (I guess?)...

So do just that, come back for more...

Lata

The Big "E"

So I am new to the blogging world (unless Xanga counts?), and of course, there is always the elusive manner in which to start off the whole sha-bang (which is a long time coming per the comments of some friends).

Well, rather than ramble about me and try to make it interesting, I will just start and you can pick up tidbits along the way if you so choose. Maybe one day when I have a couple million bloggers, I can have a contest that seeks to award those who can name something about me that was mentioned in a previous blog... we'll see how that goes?!

Today's story goes a little like this...

I have been contemplating Lasik eye surgery for some time and went for my initial evaluation this morning. I am sitting in the exam chair as the nurse begins to check my vision. I have my glasses on and she asks me what I can see on the chart. As I am telling her the ABCs, I am feeling pretty good about myself because I can see things. (I mean, I know my eyes are not great, but hey, I'm thinking they can't be THAT bad). Well then she asks me to take my glasses off... yeah right, like I can see anything now?! So you asks me, "Can you see anything?" and my reply is "Nope." This happens a second time. On the third try, business as usual, and I still can't see ANYTHING!
Then, from the other side of the room, as if in complete shock (or maybe horror?), my sister says, "You can't see that?!" and I say "No." (Thinking to myself... what's the big deal, it's just 3 rows of letters just like before...duh?!). But to my surprise, she goes on to reply, "It's the big E Jennifer!" And yes folks, as I put on my glasses, I realize that rather than the 3 fuzzy lines of letters I think I am seeing (or not seeing) it is in fact the rather large "E" on the top of the chart!!! Yeah, I thought everyone saw the big "E" on that chart (but apparently I was wrong)!

Well that's it... but more on that later!