New Beginnings

Here is a post on Christmas to put goals for the new year!

Goals! (try to really really accomplish these tasks)

1. Daily quiet time - I fully realized the importance of this while I was abroad. Quiet time whether it was in the word or in prayer significantly lifted my mood and being close to my heavenly father made the unbearable days bearable, gave me patience, and pushed me to love like I am loved.

2. Read at least one piece of classic literature a month - This can be anything from Shakespeare to Austin to Hemingway. I truly find rest and pleasure in reading and why not enrich myself with the classics while I am doing it? This is not to exclude books that have the potential to be classic literature one day.

3. Keep up with this blog - Write one post a week at least. It wouldn't be difficult. Fill it with what has been inspiring that week, pictures that I've found and loved, snippets of what is going on in my life, etc.

4. Learn to love my friends well - Often times I let people who have been quite precious to me fall to the wayside because it simply is not convenient to keep in touch with them anymore. This is a horrible habit and I wish to rid myself of it. I think this goal is a bit ambiguous, but once I have figured out exactly how to do this I will let you know (suggestions welcome!)

5. Take more pictures - This semester I took several pictures that I was proud of. Not only was it their "artsy-fartsy" qualities, but it was the feeling looking at them gave me. Pictures to me speak volumes and I think that this semester i want to be intentional with my camera and capture the moments that I want to treasure and remember.

6. Organize! - Move in, get my bedroom and apartment organized, and KEEP IT THAT WAY!

7. Keep up with laundry - Any of you who are also a victim of the "I-hate-laundry-more-than-anything" bug know what I am talking about. No more waiting until the last minute until I have completely run out of clothes to do laundry. Not acceptable anymore.

8. Eat healthier - This is in no way to lose weight. If you know me you understand. I just know that if I keep eating like I do I may die of a heart attack tomorrow. This just means eating more vegetables really. You can rest assured that Snoopy's on Tuesdays and the weekly run to Cookout will NOT be cut out of my diet, they just might be accompanied by a salad as well!

9. Learn - Ukulele, piano, french, fashion

10. Take a photoshop class.

That's all for now!

See you soon (see number 3)

-the j in jab-

Fashion 101

This post is dedicated to my favorite designers and brands. Here's to you: Chanel, YSL, Jil Sander, Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen, Oscar De La Renta, Dior, French Connection, Burberry, Kate Spade, and Balenciaga.

(wish i could do alexander mcqueen justice with these pictures. his work is so innovative and phenomenal)

love,

the j in jab

Thoughts?

One of my most favorite writing assignments was in my 12th grade AP lit class with Mrs. Ferrell.

First of all, I want to thank her for pushing me, and our class, to be our best and stretch our minds. I have never been in a class quite like hers where I was pushed like that.

The assignment was "Stream of Consciousness Writing". We were told to get our notebooks out and just start writing whatever was on our minds. Often it was one word sentences, sometimes it was a paragraph, but I found mine the other day and wanted to try it again. Here goes!

rain

snuggling

I love the summer, and miss it quite terribly

My hair needs to be washed. i hope that the rest of the semester goes by as fast as the first

Finals are creeping up on us, sorry to be morose

Fingernail painting is probably one of the most relaxing things to do ever

B came today and made my morning with biscuits and gravy, we love spending time together, and even if we have hard talks, we work it out and get to grow a little bit together.

Man I really should be doing my homework

Can't wait to read POE in English

Wish I could find the motivation to push myself academically more

Probably should go figure out what time my appointment with Dr. Bostic for registration is

Dear 3LW song, GET OUT OF MY HEAD

I miss having the time to make collages and scrapbook, maybe I'll make one for Christmas

Wish it was Christmas

Still trying to figure out what I am getting everybody

Recently, all my blogs have been wedding focused and there are so many wonderful ideas!! I should share them with Andrea :)

Silly bandz?.........where have they gone?

Music is very calming. I miss high school a little bit and the lack of responsibility that it brought with it. sometimes I wish I didn't have as much as I do, then I realize I could have a lot more. I want to grow up, but don't want to let go of my childhood like attitude. I will always wear hair bows. I will always watch Disney movies. I will always love m

ac and cheese and PB+J.

I want to get to know everything about you B, and I want to be your best friend and get gray and wrinkly with you. I love you.

What am I going to be when I grow up?

Well there ya go!

love,

the j in jab

Fall. Officially!

So in case you haven't been outside in the past couple of days, here is a weather update. It is freezing!! And then really hot again! You can tell because every one on campus has switched from nike running shorts to yoga pants! I love the change in temperature, even if I don't particularly enjoy the cold.

Here are the best things about the fall!

1. patagonia - so cozy, I wear it every day!

image from patagonia

2. pumpkin spice lattes!

image from here

they are just so yummy! can't go wrong without them. for me they are a staple that often gets me through long nights of studying and writing

3. Dixie Classic Fair

image from here

I got to go this past weekend and experience the fantastic-ness that is the Dixie. There are several things that HAD to be done at the fair. First, was the swings! They are my favorite ride, and I got to do them twice! Secondly was the Ferris Wheel! I got to do that twice too, first with my dad and sister, and then with B when he came. Finally, the FOOD was awesome. An array of fried and greasy food was available to eat and eat and eat! My personal favorite was the fried oreos, you just can't go wrong with them.

here

4. The smell of leaves in the air! There really isn't any other way to describe it, it's just something you just know.

love,

the j in jab

Birthdays and Labor Day Weekend

Hello again friends!

How was your Labor Day weekend? Did you enjoy the long weekend? It was so relaxing. I spent it at the beach (so wonderful) with some of my favorite people! Pictures to follow :)

picture via here

While there, I got to kick off my birthday celebrations early! While I don't exit my teenage years till September 16th officially, when we went to dinner one night, Chris, Chris, Joy, and Brad surprised me with cake and presents. I got a pink toolkit! Something that has been on my list for quite some time! And Brad got me Saving Private Ryan. It was the first movie we watched together, and so thoughtful! Those kind of gifts are worth a lot more to me than something really expensive or flashy!

from here

from here

What was the best gift you have ever received, or what was the best birthday you have ever celebrated? I am going to have to say it was my "sweet 16" for many reasons.

1. I got to go to New York with my very best friend Laura Lineberger and our wonderful Mothers

2. It was my "Golden Birthday" (I turned 16 on the 16th!)

3. Manicure at the Red Door Salon, need I say more?

image from here

4. Wonderful food!

image from here

5. My main gift was time spent with people I love, not things, which was special.

6. OH! I almost forgot! We saw two WONDERFUL plays, "Phantom of the Opera" and "Wicked". Both of which made me cry they were so wonderful.

Anyways,

It has come to that point in the school year (you ask already? yes already....) where I feel like the brick wall has come up and I am hitting it repeatedly. School stinks, but it has been awesome to see God show up in my devotions and work in me and show me that I am supposed to use my gifts he has blessed me with for his good.

love,

the j in jab

sweet afternoons

Today I made the executive decision to take a mental health break from school, and treat myself to coffee and a trip to the grocery store which is always therapeutic.

Do you love the grocery as much as I? There is just something about walking up and down the aisles that is comforting. Maybe it's all the choices, maybe it's because food is my first love and being surrounded by it that's comforting. Who knows.

But, what makes a grocery trip even better is the presence of a Starbucks in the Harris Teeter. Whoever's brilliant idea that was, I applaud you for your sheer genius. Grande-iced latte-two sweet-n-low. The perfect drink in my opinion. What do you think?

So in case you have been out of the Weather Channel loop, there is this Hurricane named Earl, and he is threatening my trip to the beach this weekend! How dare he! We will probably just go anyway and brave the storm!

love,

the j in jab

Fall is Fast Approaching

Can you feel it? The change in the air?

The rain came today and with it a slight crispness in the air which is the most definite sign that summer is coming to a close and fall is coming! As much as the cold weather is not my favorite, I can't wait to wear all my fall clothes! What are you most looking forward to about fall?

via

imagefromhere

As I was perusing the jcrew website the Crew Cuts section caught my eye. Isn't it fabulous to see all the little ones dressing like little adults? All of the clothes are so classic and in style at the same time. I can't wait to have someone little of my own to dress and play with!

via

via

Finally,

I can't help going to Target or Office Max or Staples for that matter at this time of the year and not reminisce on when I was in elementary school and got to buy new school supplies for the coming year. To quote You've Got Mail I would love nothing more than a "bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils" this time of the year. The smell of new pencils, new notebooks, brand new pens and a spiffy case to put them in, are almost as intoxicating as the first moment when you get a new book and crack it open for the first time and hear the slight pop and smell the fresh ink on the pages.

via

via

love,

the j in jab