The Jenkins Family: July 2012

Friday, July 27, 2012

Friday Love Letters Vol I

Dear Husband, thanks for an amazing Anniversary Weekend. I was so thrilled to get to spend not only ONE Adult-Only Date Day with you...but TWO. I'm a lucky lady! Dear Daughter, thanks for letting me take you on a Mommy-Daughter date to Baskin Robbins. It was so fun to share an ice cream cone together without any distractions. You are growing up so fast & I cherish the quality alone time we get to spend...Just.Us.Two! I love you! Also, thanks for rocking it out at the AP Dance Clinic! I'm so proud of you! Dear Wild Brother, please try not to face plant on the concrete anymore. It makes Mommy {and probably Daddy too} a nervous wreck! I want to preserve that precious baby skin for a bit longer {scar free please}! Also, thanks for giving Momma a sweet smile in between all your tantrums in the car...its a nice break! Dear Tie Breaker Park, thanks for letting the Jenkins Family invade! We had fun and were thankful for getting in 1/2 price! We will be back! Dear Lics, thanks for being just as yummy as I remember. I was glad the husband & kids enjoyed you too! Dear MAC Make-Up, I'm in LOVE with you...so glad I made the investment. Dear Husband & Son, I greatly appreciate that you guys look so much alike, but it makes me sad that Carter looks nothing like me...I guess we can prove he is mine because I grew him in my belly! Dear Yummy Dessert I made for group, not only were you SKINNY, but you were delish. My Community Group enjoyed you in their bellies! I will make you again...SOON! Dear Sweet CKC, thanks for visiting me & your Momma at work 2 days in a row! I loved helping you get more Yummy Bears...Pssst, I love the green ones too! Dear Friday Love Letters, I've enjoyed linking up...I might of had too many "LOVES" today! I plan to do it again...and again!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Thursday's Thought...7 years later

This past Monday, Blake & I celebrated 7 years of marriage. At exactly 6:30pm 7 years ago, we were walking down the aisle. It's crazy to think back to all that has happened over the last 7 years--we have had 2 beautiful, lively children; we have purchased 2 homes; we have bought 3 cars; we have changed and rearranged jobs at Jenkins & Wynne {well, Blake has anyway}; we have survived crises; we have laughed; we have cried; we have traveled all over the world with our family & friends; to sum it up...we have been truly blessed and are so lucky to live the life we do with the people we call our family & friends.

Blake, what a wild ride it has been. Though things have not always been perfect {who lives a perfect life anyway?}, I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else. Thank you for being so intentional with me & the kids lately. I greatly appreciate all you are doing to pour yourself into our family. I look forward to many, many more years of happiness & fun...bumps & all! I love you!

Because Blake can be quite the romantic, he planned 2 amazing dates for us this past weekend.

First up, Saturday Night {7/21}...
We headed to Nashville around 2:30.

I wanted to stop by Green Hills to get some new makeup...

an hour later, I left with a mini fortune spent at MAC and Blake got himself a new sport coat.

I guess it was win-win!

We then headed to an early dinner at Flemings.

To put it mildly, IT.WAS.DELICIOUS!

We ate for 3 hours...almost everything on the menu!

YUM!

Afterwards, we headed home to have a drink at Edwards Steakhouse Downtown...

and then to bed...it was a long and filling day!

Our Date in Pictures:

This was "Oscar" style...lump crab meat on top of our filet...Heaven on Earth!

My handsome date!!

{ending the night at Edwards}

Our Second Date was on our actual Anniversary...

Monday {7/23}

I was instructed to leave work at 2:30 because we had to be somewhere by 3:00.

To my surprise, I found Blake at home with 2 bottles of wine.

He then told me we were headed to Eden Day Spa for a 90 minute massage & a candlelight dinner!

No complaints from this lady!

The massage didn't disappoint & neither did the dinner.

I must say, Blake did pretty good!

{the best picture we got...oh well}

He also surprised me with 2 treats...

A Kindle Fire

{he gave this to me in the shipping box with a pink bow tied on it...

plus my name & a heart in sharpie...THAT.IS.LOVE!!}

He also gave me a Silver Helen Ficalora necklace with the kids initials...2 "C"s and a "J".

It's perfect!

{sorry for the weird self portrait}

It was a wonderful weekend full of great adult time and family time!
Up next...my Friday Love Letters {a new Link Up}

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Bloggers {Four-One-One} Link Up!

Well, Amanda talked me into another link up...I'm such a sucker for these!

Today, I'm linking up with Becky over @ From Mrs. To Mama.

I read Becky's blog religiously--she is so funny and to the point--I love it!

Here is way to much information that you probably don't want to know...but, sorry, it's my blog :)

Here we go...

1. How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?

I have been blogging since February 2008. I started when Chloe was about 18 months old. I wanted a way to document our families every day doings...and let's face it, I'm not together enough to keep up with a scrapbook {I know this because I've tried}! I wouldn't say my blog has changed much {the look, yes}, but I still use it to keep family informed and up-to-date on what is going on with us...even the stuff most people don't care about! I hope to turn all these posts into books one day so the kids can look back!

Here is one of the first pictures I ever posted:

{my sweet shopping buddy; Chloe @ 1 1/2 years old}

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?

Yes, I graduated with my undergrad from Austin Peay State University in my home town of Clarksville. Let's Go Peay! I studied Finance...and wouldn't you know...I'm doing nothing with my degree. I guess that is pretty common though!

3. Where have you traveled?

Well, since being an adult and being married to Blake, I have had the opportunity to travel to so many amazing places {my daughter has been lucky enough to travel to most of these places as well in her 5 years of life}

Hawaii, Jamaica, Bahamas, Mexico {2xs}, California, Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, New Mexico, and I'm sure a few other states. I'm looking forward to doing even more traveling in the up coming year!

4. If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would buy?

Oh man, this is a tough one. I would probably pay off all of my parents debt, morgages, etc. And then take everyone on a big, extravagant trip somewhere.

5. What are your 3 biggest pet peeves?

1. talking with your mouth full

2. interrupting when someone is talking {even though I'm so guilty of this}

3. being late {again, totally guilty of this one}

6. What is your favorite movie?

Right now, I would say I have 2 favorite movies:

Easy A

Friends with Benefits

Old School choice:

Anything John Hughes--Sixteen Candles, The Breafast Club, Pretty in Pink

7. What is your drink of choice; wine, beer, or liquor. Or Water, Soda, Tea?

Non-Alcoholic choice--I would say Water or Sweet Tea

Alcoholic--beer...especially draft beer {all time favorite choices are Blue Moon or Stella}

8. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?

Me time, I enjoy taking a nap...really, I love nothing more than a nap.

And if I'm not napping, I enjoy a nice quiet trip to the mall, Target, or TJMaxx!

I rarely get to shop on my own & its pretty therapeutic for me!

9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, which store would it be?

I would have to say I have a few choices: TJMaxx {make that money stretch} or right now, Banana Republic...totally obsessed PLUS their clothes fit me so well!

10. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.

Embarrassing moment....Mmmmhhhhh....I'm sure there are so many that I'm just not thinking about. But, I would have to say the one that comes to mind is Blake & I's first date. We went ice skating with his family. I had never skated before so I was super timid. When I finally decided to venture from the wall, Blake came up behind me really fast and {not intentionally} knocked me down...well, my head hit the ice first {Ouch}. Needless to say, I was not only SUPER EMBARRASSED since it was our first date, I was also in some fierce pain. His Mom & Dad offered to take me home since the back of my head was bleeding a bit, but I didn't want to inconvenience anyone. I ended up getting home late that night with a splitting headache...a trip to the ER and a cat scan later that night as well, I found out that the cut was within a mm of my head needing to be shaved and a staple put in. YIKES! Needless to say, I have not ice skated since...won't EVER do it...I promise you that!

11. What day would you love to relive again?

I have 3--

1. Our Wedding Day. We got married straight out of college...it was the perfect storm. All of our high school friends were able to attend along with all of our college friends. So many wonderful people together in one place with our families. Perfection!

2. Chloe's Birth. My first born. Though we had a rough start together because I was a scared and inexperienced 23 year old, I wouldn't change having her young for all the money in the world! She is my buddy, my friend, and my sweet first born. I love that girl!

3. Carter's birth. Carter rounded out our family. We are now complete. He gave me the opportunity to truly enjoy the birthing process and the early weeks that followed. I was much stronger and more confident. I loved every second of the 10 weeks we had together at home for my maternity leave.

12. If your life was turned into a movie...what actor would play you?

This is a tough one too...I guess I would have to say Reese Witherspoon. Not really because we look alike {obviously}, but because I love the characters she plays--sweet, smart, strong, and SOUTHERN...PLUS, did you know? She is from Tennessee!

13. What are the jobs you had in high school / college / early years?

Hostess at Jenkins and Wynne--Summer of my Junior and Senior Years of High School

Victoria's Secret--Freshman Year of College

Pier 1--Sophomore - Senior Year of College {ended up being an assistant Manager}

Jenkins and Wynne Internet Coordinator--Right out of College to the Present

14. Show us a picture from High School or College.

{Prom May 2001 Senior Year}

{Senior Year @ APSU December 2005 w/ Sarah & Brittnye}

15. If you could travel anywhere in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?

Oh man, I think Antiqua...that is where I wanted to go on our Honeymoon.

Don't ask me why!?

16. Show us the most current picture of you, your family, or anything of meaning to you.

17. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?
Wow, I'm not ready to think 5 years from now...I will have a 10 year old & a 6 year old {Crazy}...so things might be a bit calmer at our house. I am thinking by then I may be staying home full time and Blake will still be working at the dealership. Most likely living in a new house by then? Who knows! Taking it day by day at this point ;)

Had enough of me?

Take a sec & link up with Becky! Fun times!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

What I'm Lovin' Wednesday!

Well, it's time to link back up with Jamie...it's been a minute or two.

Here's what I'm Lovin' today...

I'm Lovin' that my sweet girl finally got her ears pierced.

She decided on her own so it makes it so much more special!

She chose pink studs {the October birthstone} because "my friends have these ones too."

She shed a few tears...no screaming {thankfully}...and was quickly over it once she got a peek at them in the mirror!

Thanks Clarie's for making this experience quick and easy!

{right before...she has no idea what is about to happen}

I'm Lovin' that 2 of my dear friends are having or have just had sweet babies.

Because of that, we threw them a surprise "Sprinkle" at our annual Pool Bunco!

I'm so thankful to celebrate these two friends! Congrats girls!

{Mary & Natalie}

{Cupcakes from GiGi's...Yummy}

On that same note, I'm Lovin' my Bunco girls!

We have been meeting religiously on the first Wednesday of each month since the Fall of 2005!

Most of us our original members!

I look forward to Bunco each month because it is intentional time with these friends that I don't get to see all that often...life, kids, work sometimes gets in the way!

This past week, we had our Annual Pool Day Bunco!

Each July we get together, eat, and plan out our next year! Fun times!

I'm Lovin' how big my sweet girl has become.

She has matured so much over the summer.

Her new obsession is her babies...taking them with us everywhere we go {stroller in tow too}!

I'm Lovin' family time.

This past Sunday, we celebrated Jenks' birthday!

He told us he is 39 years young! {Mmmmhhhhh}

We got Jenks a fun floating cooler & a massage!

Happy Birthday Jenks!

I'm Lovin' the Aquarium Restaurant.

We headed to Opry Mills on Sunday after Church.

Chloe has been dying to go back to this place ever since Grandy & Jenks took the kids a few weeks before!

She was thrilled to pose with the shark...sweet girl!

What are you Lovin' today?

Link Up!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

A very overdue update...

Well, to put it lightly, life has been in the way of my blogging lately...

so here is a "photo" dump of our lives over the last few weeks.

The pictures are scarce & kind of random, but this is the best I can do :)

Swim Time at Cindys
On Tuesdays, Carter gets to go outside with his buddies for a little water fun.
I'm thankful Cindy sends me a quick snap shot each time...he's so chunky and cute!