30 Things About Me: 10 Biggest Pet Peeves

I have been thinking up some of my pet peeves for a while now. Due to that these are in no particular order, just jotted them down as I thought of them. *Warning* I rant in this post, sorry. LOL

1. "Share This or Die" Photos/Stories on Facebook
You know the pics that I'm talking about, they are usually heartfelt stories that end with something like "now share this picture/story or you'll die." Okay, I'm being overly dramatic. But seriously, can't we just share something to share it and not have some ultimatum or threat hanging at the end? I saw one that set me off and it said "Share this in 2 seconds if you love your mother" All I could think was "REally?!?!" I didn't share it which obviously in someone's head means that I must hate my mother. Guess what? I don't hate my mother, I love her so very, very much and I don't have to share a picture in order to prove that.

2. "Horrible" Facebook posts
Okay so it seems that some of my pet peeves have something to do with Facebook Posts. If only all of my friends weren't on there, still I may need a break from Facebook. This pet peeve is the people who post Horrible stories on Facebook. Stories of abuse, cops beating people, neglected children/pets, etc... Little fact about me, I Never watch the news. You know why? Because all they do is give you weather reports and tell people all of these horrible stories. There may be an uplifting story once every 3 months or so. So guess what, I don't need/want to see this crap on my Facebook news feed either.

3. People that don't enunciate or talk too fast when leaving voice-mails
Dear people who call me,
If you want me to call you back, please be sure to say your name Clearly, and slow down when saying your phone number. I really don't like listening to your message 8 million times because I'm trying to make out what you're saying.
Sincerely,
Annoyed Voice-mail Listener

4. 8 Words...
"When are you going to have a baby?" This question annoys me beyond compare. Yes, the topic of kids is a very sensitive subject for me because we have been trying (and failing) for years. But myself aside, the "when are you" life questions are the worst. Just because someone doesn't have kids, or isn't married doesn't mean that they don't have those wants or desires. On the contrary, those are usually the things that someone constantly hopes and prays for. And let me tell ya, having someone constantly asking "when are you [fill in the blank]" is aggravating and emotionally draining. Everyone's journey is different, so stop asking. Just love those around you and don't be pushy; it will happen when it happens.

5.  This...nuff said. 

6. Annoying Employee Emails
Dear Annoying Co-worker,
Please stop spamming my inbox with crap emails. I don't care about your politics, I'm not one of your students so you don't need to send me crap about your classes. And for heavens' sake STOP using all caps!!! >.< You seriously tick me off and are lucky that I don't lash out.
Sincerely,
Your co-worker who's losing their patience
P.S. Pet Peeve #5 is about you too 

7. Fake "Friends" 
You know the type, they are the friends that only say "Hi" to you in passing and only when they feel like it. I can think of a few people that say "Hi, how are you? We should do lunch sometime" and then you never hear from them again. Now I know this happens with sincere friends too but there is a difference between the two conversations. It's a difference that I can't quite put a finger on but you know what I mean.

8. Being Placed on Hold
I don't what is more annoying, the music that is played, the recordings that come on to tell you that someone will be with you. Or the fact that the music always starts back at the beginning after the recording is played.

9. Being Called "Ma'am"
I know that some people are raised to say "Yes Ma'am" or "Yes, Sir." But all this does is make me feel old. Please don't call me Ma'am. lol

10. Being Called Jennifer
I honestly don't know why this wasn't the first thing that I thought of...lol And you'd think that it doesn't happen often, I mean Jessica and Jennifer aren't really spelled the same. But it happens ALL the time! I have students that I have known for years, and they still call me Jennifer. lol

This post has been months in the making...if you made it to the end of my rants I applaud you! You are a true friend and must really love me - or at least love my blog. LOL

Jessy <3

Random Christmas Thoughts

I feel like blogging today, but I don't really have anything specific to say - so if you don't mind listening to me jabber, we'll all find out what I have on my mind together.

I guess the main thing that I have on my mind right now is Christmas - I think it's on everyone's mind. Andy and I did a bunch of Christmas shopping yesterday, and it was the first time in the 10 years that we've been married where we were able to afford to buy presents for all of our nieces and nephews (there are a LOT of them). It felt really good to be able to shop for those kids. I love shopping for kids. We probably spent way too much money, but Christmas only comes around once a year.

I have also been thinking about my 101 in 1001 list more often lately. My 1001 days is up in February and I don't feel like I've accomplished much on my list. I haven't even done any of the cleaning projects...talk about lazy and procrastination. LOL One of the things on my list was to do the 12 days of Christmas for someone. That probably isn't going to happen, but I was able to buy some items for a family in need. Our department at work is sponsoring a family of 6 so I went and bought some of the items that were on their list. Again, I spent more than I planned to, but you know what? They need it more than I do.

Christmas time is always really hard for me because I live so far away from my family. My mom, my brother, and I are spread across the states, and I miss them - especially at Christmas. We were always very close, so spending the holidays apart is hard on me. I know it's hard on my mom too. If only we lived in a world where teleportation and time travel were possible. I would never be home. LOL

Once my house is completely decorated I plan on taking pics and sharing them with you. (So there's something for you to look forward to...) But my house is not "finished" yet. LOL Hopefully, I'll finish decorating, and wrapping presents today. :)

Well, I could probably keep jabbering for a little while longer, there is always school to talk about, but I'll leave you with my thoughts about Christmas. :)

Your Long-winded Writer,
Jessy <3

Welcome To My Brain...

So lately I have been going back through journal entries from the past few years and I found one that I have to share. Simply because it sums up my brain so very well...Here ya go:

"June 13, 2012 -

So tonight I decided to look up how to write a novel. LOL I have this longing to write but I honestly don't know where to begin. I found a page that had some very good ideas about how to form ideas, build your story, build your characters, and figure out a storyline before you even start the rough draft. LOL I think I am going to follow that and see how it works. And of course I wrote down my tagline and then got distracted. I was just sitting here posting on Facebook and looking at the things scattered across my bed: pills bottles, and toothpaste. The toothpaste bottle says Fluoride Toothpaste and it brought back this memory from elementary school where they would make us kids take fluoride. I don't know if they still do that in school but all I remember is that the flavor was usually bubblegum and it was gross! I hope schools don't put kids through that cruel & unusual punishment! LOL

Your Bubblegum floride hater - Jessy"

Couple things...first I know how to start writing now. You just start writing...that's why my journal entries are now 9 pages long instead of 1 1/2.

Two: I have absolutely NO clue why there was toothpaste on my bed, or how I jumped from one topic to the other...Was there something on Facebook that triggered it? I guess I'll never know. LOL

If you journal/blog, do you ever go back and re-read what you wrote? If not, you should - because it's usually hilarious!

Your Spaghetti-Brained Blogger,
Jessy <3

Life Without Facebook

Hi, My name is Jessica and I am addicted to Facebook.
If you know me, like at all, you know that I practically live on Facebook. I keep it open all the time while I'm at work, it's on my phone, and yes it's usually one of the first things I check in the morning. Those damn notifications get me into trouble, because they drive me batty and I HAVE to check them, just so the little reminder will go away. I am the same way with email notifications, which is good for my students/colleagues because I reply very quickly - but it can be very bad too.

Recently I watched a show that brought up a good point about social media. Back in days before computers, we had this thing called a community. We kept in touch better, you had to pick up the phone to call your friends or actually go out for coffee to catch up. We weren't scared of going outside because there were more people outside and we watched out for each other. Now I'm not saying that we don't do these things now, but you have to admit that it is less common.

I took a break from Facebook for almost 2 weeks in August and discovered that I really don't miss too much if I'm not on there. Since then, I've kind of slipped back into my obsession - but at least I've taken the notifications off of my phone. I don't need to see them 24/7. I am getting to the point where I feel like another break is in order - so that may be happening soon. We'll see...

What's one thing that you feel like you need to take a break from?

Jessy

Things You Would Hear At My House

First I must say, the Blogger app is growing on me. It can be a little cumbersome and weird to use at first but I love that can share pictures and stuff with such ease. The other thing that I like about it, is I can fashion blog posts in the note pad on my phone and then just copy and paste when I'm ready to write the post. You guessed it, that's what I did with this one. There is one last thing that I love about posting from my phone, my phones talk to text feature. It makes blogging so much easier.

A while back I came up with an idea for a blog post, "Things You Would Hear at My House". I've been compiling a list since then and wanted to share it with you. This is a list of common phrases that are said at my house.

1. "Oh look, another nail polish"
2. "Honey, what time is raid?"
3. "Today I made..." Which is followed by descriptions of food that was cooked. That would be normal but I'm married to a chef, so all of the descriptions are the proper culinary terms. For example, instead of making a "butter sauce" he says that he made a beurre blanc.
4. "Rogue, you're not supposed to eat the ribbon." I swear she's addicted to ribbon, and I hate to say it but it may be the death of her someday. LOL
5. "Andrew, you can't have an industrial sized dishwasher"
6. "Get out of my chair" It seems like I say this every 5 mins at my house. Prince Beau, and Princess Rogue (my cats) think that if I'm not sitting in my chair then it's their throne, not mine.
7. "Rogue don't eat the carpet"- this is also said every 5 mins
8. "Hey Carpet-muncher" this is our new name for Rogue

I'm sure there are other things, but this post has been sitting in my draft box for way too long!

What are some of the common phrases at your house?

Jessy <3

30 Things About Me: What's So Hard About Growing Up?

One of the questions on my "About Me" page is "What’s the hardest part of growing up?" I think the hardest part about growing up is realizing that your life is never going to be perfect. When you're little you have all of these hopes and dreams of what life could be. I wanted to be a famous singer when I was little, even back then I knew that was very unlikely, but it was still my dream. Then there are things that children don't view as dreams, but instead they see them as facts of life. When I was little I thought, "I'm gunna get married, have kids, be a stay-at-home mom, and live in this perfect little house, complete with a white picket fence." Those are the dreams that get taken for granted. As kids, we just assume that's how everything works. The hardest part about growing up is realizing that it's not.

I have been married 10 years, and haven't been able to have kids yet. I should've gone to a doctor 5 years ago but didn't. Now I am starting to get answers, but they're not necessarily ones that I like. I feel like I have lots of things wrong with me, and I feel broken. I know, that are so many women who have fertility issues; I'm not alone. I also know that I should have patience because I am just starting this process, but it is hard. I want to just have a pity party, and honestly I kind of am. Luckily I have a supportive husband. He is very optimistic, which is unusual because usually I am the optimistic one - and I'm definitely NOT right now. It's nice to have such support behind me, because I have been a wreck lately.

Another thing that is hard is to not blow up at people because they constantly complain about their lives. You know, the life that you want but can't have. I know some people who complain about their kids all the time, and it is very hard for me to keep my mouth shut. I do, most times, but it is hard. I wish everyone could see the blessings in their lives (myself included) because even though life is not perfect we all have blessings.

So here is a fact of life: Life is not perfect. It never has been, and it never will be - I just have to learn to accept it.

Jessy

Things I Want To Say, But Can't....

Dear Student,
Contrary to your belief, the world does not revolve around you. I would appreciate it if you wouldn't barge into my office without asking if I'm busy, and just start talking. And it would be really nice if I could go to the restroom without you stopping me at the restroom door to ask me about my calendar. Seriously, you think I have my appointment schedule memorized?! For the second time, please send me an email!!!!!!! >.<
Signed Your Frustrated Adviser

PS...If you catch me on my way out the door again, and I have to ask you a third time to send me an email...I might not be nice about it.


To my online Literature Professor, regarding this assignment:
"Write to me about what you have learned concerning the construction, variety, evaluation, and enjoyment of poetry..."

Wait, what? You mean I was actually supposed to learn something during this unit? Why didn't you give me other things to read besides poetry?! Like you know, things about the construction of poetry...Now I get to write 300-400 words about how I learned absolutely nothing. Can I just write that over, and over? I learned absolutely nothing, I learned absolutely nothing...


I'm sure there will be more to follow....
Jessy :)

Musical Monday: All of Me by John Legend

Welcome to Monday! I have had this song stuck in my head for the past two days, so I thought I would share it with you. I've been listening to Pandora while I'm at work, and this popped up on my Lifehouse Station - I love it, and I hope you do too!




Jessy <3

P.S. Lindsey Stirling is amazing! If you haven't already, you should check out her YouTube Channel

Ramblings About Seasons

If you've been following my blog, you might know that I'm taking a personal writing class this semester, and I'm really enjoying it. Personal writing means more time spent writing in my journal. I have been encouraged to just write down all of my thoughts, without removing my pen from the paper, so that is what I've been doing. The following is an entry, or at least part of one, that came out of my writing practice. I was really missing seasons that day, and still am. A high of 92 is NOT acceptable for the end of October.

"I miss the days when I lived in a place with actual seasons. Arizona has two seasons, summer and cooler summer. It is September now and the fall weather would be heading our way. I miss the crisp air in the morning, the pumpkin patches, scarecrows, frost on your windshield, and dew on the morning grass. I miss the smell of apple cider that seems to follow you wherever you go. But most of all, I miss the leaves changing color. They are so beautiful. They change from green to yellow, to red or brown. The crisp crunch under your boots. Fall is a time filled with boots, and scarves, witches and ghouls. I love Halloween with all of its mystery. The dark, chilly nights, jack-o-lanterns, and black cats. I long for those days again. I wish I could capture that, put it in a bottle, and save it for a day when I need it the most.

The endless sun wears on me, don’t get me wrong the sun is great. But only when there is bright green grass, and the smell of watermelon in the air. I long for dreary days. Days with never-ending gray clouds; days that make me long to drink cocoa and bake cookies. The never-ending sun takes away all those desires. I miss the snow and the days where the streets were quiet because every snowflake muffled the air and the sounds. I remember those childhood days well. Sitting over the heater vents, and watching the snow fall quietly to the ground. Those were the peaceful days when you never left the the house because you didn’t want to disturb the beauty."

What's your favorite season, and what do you enjoy most about it?

Jessy <3

Epigraph

For my Personal Writing class this semester I was asked to write an epigraph. An epigraph is the quote that is found at the beginning of a book. It shows a little insight into what's in the story or conveys some of the writers emotions. This was hard for me because I have been so down lately, everything that I was writing was so depressing. lol That is until I decided to write about a quote from my favorite book. :) 

Here is what I turned in as the epigraph to this moment in my life.

“When you think things are bad,

when you feel sour and blue,

when you start to get mad...

you should do what I do!

Just tell yourself, Duckie,

you're really quite lucky!

Some people are much more...

oh, ever so much more...

oh, muchly much-much more

unlucky than you!”

―Dr. Seuss, Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are is my all-time favorite Dr. Seuss book. Whenever I mention it to anyone they look at me and go, “Huh, what book?” I don’t think I’ve ever found anyone who’s heard of it before, but it is the best book ever! You know Dr. Seuss his books are full of tongue-twisters and are fun to read but this one has the best message to tell you. You go through the book and read about all of the horrible things that the people in the book have to endure, and then the quote above is the very last page. After everything is said and done, you are one of the luckiest people alive.

I have been having a very hard time lately remembering that I am the luckiest person alive. I have been depressed and had pity parties over the past few months. Whenever I do, I know it’s time to pull out the old trusty Dr. Seuss book and remember that my problems aren’t the worst in the world. Even some of the characters in the book have it worse off than me.

I am trying very hard to find myself right now. My life is not playing out as planned and I feel like I’m running out of time to accomplish some of my goals. Deep down I know I’m not running out of time but you know how it is, the little kid in you is looking at your life and thinking, “That’s not what I dreamed about when I was five.” Life has a funny way of playing tricks and getting in the way of your dreams sometimes. However, in the end, you are still the luckiest person just because you’re you. 

What's your epigraph? What quote lifts you up when you are down? I'd love to know. 

Jessy <3

Ipsy Bag: Catch Up

I had started doing monthly posts about my Ipsy bags and was going to do a post for each month that I've missed. Well, I've decided to lump all of that into one post because obviously I'm not going to get "caught up" anytime soon. So I've taken a few pictures, one of all of the things that I've gotten in my bags and then one that shows my favorite items. So here we go:

These are all of the items that I've received. There is everything from eyeshadow, to lip balm/gloss, eye lines, moisturizers, dry shampoo, and I even got a beach spray that I had been wanting to try.

Here's a list of the items:

April: Ipsy Rocks Bag

City Colour Mousse Eye Shadow in White Gold 
Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm - Acid Pink
Lollitint Tinted Lip and Cheek Stain in Candy Orchid
Urban Decay 24 /7 Eye Pencil in Black Velvet
Kiss Eyelashes

May: Natural Bag w/ Green Leaves
Hey Honey Take It Off - Exfoliating Honey Peel Off Mask 
Hang Ten - Fifty Classic Sport Natural Sunscreen SPF 50
Avène Thermal Spring Water
Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask with keravis protein and argan oil
Pacific Natural Beauty Duo Shadow with Plum and White Gold 

June: Blue Bag w/ Pineapples
Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray 
Realtree perfume
Ofra Universal - eyebrow pencil in Brown
NYX lip gloss in Creme Brulee
Bombshell Mascara in Black*
Nickak Shimmer Eyeliner in Blue*
*My mom and I traded the mascara and the eyeliner she wasn't going to wear a shiny blue eyeliner and I didn't care for the mascara.

July: Bright Pink Bag
Elizabeth Mott Tints and Sass in Cherry
Bare Minerals 5 in 1 Advanced Performance Cream Eyeshadow in Divine Wine
Clear Clinic Vanished Clear Spot Treatment
Pur-lisse Pur Protect Essential Daily Moisturizer SPF 30
POP Sunkissed Bronzer in Secret Sunrise

August: Orange Polka Dotted - Back to School Bag
Dr. Brandt Pores No More - Pore reducing primer 
Urban Decay Perversion Mascara in Black
Jersey Shore Sun Mongogongo Nutrient Dense Anti-aging Lip Conditioner
Klorane Dry Shampoo
J. Cat Flying Solo Eye Shadow

Now for my favorites, I tried to pick just one per month but failed for the month of August because there were two items that I loved. 

April: Urban Decay 24 /7 Eye Pencil in Black Velvet - This is a pencil liner but it's not a hard tipped pencil so it doesn't pull on your eyelid. Not only does it just glide on, it also stays put, and doesn't transfer to the top of your eyelid as long as you don't apply too much. I have a tendency to apply too much. :/ Oops...lol

May: Pacific Natural Beauty Duo Shadow with Plum and White Gold - I think this pressed powder eyeshadow duo is a very pretty combination. It applies subtlety but layers well, so if you like your eye makeup darker like I do, rest assured it doesn't take forever to apply

June: NYX butter gloss in Creme Brulee - I am not a lip gloss girl; they are usually sticky and messy, and slimy so I was not all that excited about getting a lip gloss plus the color look really weird. It had a little more on an orange tint than what I usually wear. But because I am getting Ipsy bags so I can try new things I tried it and I LOVE it! When it says butter gloss, it means butter gloss. It's not sticky, or slimy, or messy, now it's a staple that I keep in my purse. Plus I'm even in love with the color. It doesn't look orange but actually has a very natural look - at least with my skin tone.

July: Elizabeth Mott Tints & Sass in Cherry - I got two different lip/cheek tints one from Lollitint and then this one and I must say they are both a little weird to use as a cheek tint because it is a stain and really fast-acting. But the Tints & Sass is a really good for color for your lips.

August: Dr. Brandt's Pores No More pore reducing primer - I've never used a primer before, so I have nothing to compare it to but I love it. It really does reduce the size of your pores and it has a mousse to powder consistency. When I first saw the color I thought that it was going to be too dark for my skin, but it blends in really well and I wasn't able to see any blotchy patches.

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara in Black - I have fallen in love with this mascara. It makes your lashes appear more full and it doesn't take layers and layers of mascara to do it. Even thought the formula is great I think it's the wand that did me in. Most wands that I've seen are very bristly, this one you can actually see the bristles move as you take it out of the bottle. A-mazing! The only down-fall to this product is that it is a $22 mascara. /sigh....I don't know if I can justify spending $22 on a mascara but I might really, really consider it.

So that is my "Catch Up" post, hopefully I'll be able to do a monthly post from now, but I'm taking two writing classes this semester so we'll see.

TTYL
Jessy :)

P.S. If you would like to join Ipsy simply click HERE.
P.P.S. All of the opinions in this post are my own, I am not being paid to review these products. But if someone would like to give me products to review I won't object. ;)

Ipsy Bag: May 2014

The month of May, ahhh the month of May...this month my Mom joined Ipsy so we got to open our Ipsy bags together via Skype. I love Skype, what did we do before the internetz? Totally off subject, isn't my mommy beautiful? :)

And now for the bag...

May's Ipsy Bag

 

May's Bag: This month's bag feels kind of like burlap, but not quite as scratchy. lol Here were my products

Pacific Natural Beauty Duo Shadow in Plum and White Gold: I think this pressed powder eyeshadow duo is a very pretty combination. It applies subtlety but layers well, so if you like your eye makeup darker like I do, rest assured it doesn't take forever to apply.

Hang Ten 50 Classic Sport Natural Sunscreen SPF 50: I have one thing to say about this product...it WORKS!! Holy Hannah, it really does. I used it when we went to the Grand Canyon. When we went, I was wearing this shirt that had holes where the shoulders are so I used this because I didn't want to burn. Of course I still burned because I wasn't thinking of the rest of my arms, just where those holes were. *facepalm* But funny thing is when all was said and done, I had this perfect little hand print in the place where I applied the sunscreen. Talk about the weirdest burn ever....lol But it gives kudos to the Sunscreen because I don't think I've ever seen one work so well. If you have kids you should definitely buy it.

Hey Honey, Take It Off Exfoliating Honey Peel-off Mask: The peel off mask is an okay product. I am not a big fan of peel-off masks for two reasons: one, I don't know if they really work, and two they are a pain to put on and to remove. This one made my skin look soft but it was still a pain to remove. Someone needs to make a peel off mask that is either colored or changes color, I'm just sayin'...

Eva-NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask with Keravis protein and Argan oil: This product is amazing, it's like Downy for your hair! I don't know about you, but my hair is very dry and sometimes regular conditioners just aren't enough. That's where hair masks come in handy. I use it in place of conditioner and it makes my hair so soft.

Avène Thermal Spring Water: This is canned water that sprays out as a mist. I've never used anything like this before and honestly I won't ever buy it for myself. I don't really see the point of buying canned water but it does help sooth itchiness. I've had hives off and on for the past few months and the light mist does help for a bit. If anyone knows what this is supposed to be used for please enlighten me. 

The award for this months favorite product goes to *drumroll*... Eva-NYC Hair Mask! 

Not only does it make your hair smooth it also smells amazing! I am very sad that I am almost out. :( I'm gonna have to find where I can buy more. :)

Jessy

P.S. If you would like to join Ipsy simply click HERE.
P.P.S. All of the opinions in this post are my own, I am not being paid to review these products. But if someone would like to pay me or give me products to review I won't object. ;)

Friday Favorites: Musical Edition

A while back there was a post going around Facebook, at least within my group of friends, that was a challenge to fill Facebook with music instead of Selfies. I will admit, I'm a selfie addict but I like the idea of breaking the monotony.

I was assigned to post a song by a band/artist whose name started with the letter N. When trying to pick a song I realized something, I don't like any current bands that start with the letter N. LOL I decided to post something old school for #tbt and my song was from New Kids on the Block. lol

Since I didn't share any of my current favorites I thought I'd share them with you. :-)

Here are a few of my favorite bands/songs from the past few months:

I've been on Pandora more than usual and am loving my Lifehouse Radio. These are some of the songs that I've found, and grown to love:

A Drop in the Ocean - Ron Pope

All We Are - Matt Nathanson

Broken - Lifehouse

Collide - Howie Day

Demons - Imagine Dragons
I love, love, LOVE Imagine Dragons! They are awesome!

From Where You Are - Lifehouse

Let Her Go - Passenger

Shooting Stars - Edwin McCain

After going back through them again, I've found that they are kind of melancholy but beautiful at the same time. I hope you enjoy them. I'm always looking for new music. Leave me a comment and let me know some of your favorite artists/songs.

Jessy <3

Ipsy Bag: April 2014

So I joined Ipsy in April this year and I have yet to blog about it. I can sum up this blog post in one sentence; I love Ipsy!! So far I have gotten four bags and they have all been filled with fun new products for me to try. Ipsy may be known for sending you "samples" of items but some of their "samples" are full sized product. I've posted all of my bags on my Instagram account but I want to share them here and give you my thoughts about some of the products. So here we go...

April's Ipsy Bag

April's Bag: The bag is a plastic bag with a record player printed on it and it came with 5 items:

Kiss Fake Lashes: I haven't tried these yet but they look very beautiful. I'm sure they will be wonderful. I feel like I need to save them for a special occasion though.

City Color Mousse Eyeshadow in White Gold: I love this product for a few reasons; 1 it's a creme to powder so it doesn't take a whole lot to apply meaning the "sample" they sent me will last a while. 2, I really love the color. I don't wear gold a whole lot but who cares. lol

Cailyn Lip Balm in Acid Pink: When I hear "lip balm" I thought of something like a Carmex consistency; I was wrong, it was very creamy and had to be applied with a brush that was hidden in the long handle. Once you apply this product the color is there, For-E-Ver. I was so excited to try it I actually put it on before I brushed my teeth and it stayed put! I would really love this product if it were a different color; I may have to invest in one. 

Lolli-tint cheek and lip stain in Candy-Orchard: This is a liquid and stains really fast, which is good because it lasts a long time, but is very tricky to apply as a blush. lol 

Urban Decay 24 /7 eye pencil in Black Velvet: This is a pencil liner but it's not a hard tipped pencil so it doesn't pull on your eyelid.

Favorite Product: Out of all of these products I think my favorite is the Urban Decay eyeliner. Not only did it glide on, it also stays put, as long as you don't apply too much. I have a tendency to do this...you caught me lol

I will be posting a few of these over the next few days, trying to catch-up for the months that I've missed. Let me know in the comments if you have tried any of these products, or tell me about your favorite makeup product.

Jessy <3

If you would like to join Ipsy simply click HERE.

30 Things About Me: What I Would Teach

So one of the "30 Things About Me" questions is: "If you had to teach something, what would you teach?" hmmm.... If you know me, you know that I am not good at public speaking. I can sit behind a desk all day and talk someone's ear off, and I can sing in front of hundreds of people. But if you put me up at the front of a classroom, I get extremely nervous. I find that to be very odd, and I can't quite put a finger on what is so intimidating. But it may be because I really don't like to be the center of attention.

When I was growing up, I was the loner. I was the little girl who was content with having just a couple close friends, spending recess on the swings, and just enjoying the peace and quiet. I've never been the boisterous, "pay attention to me" type of person. So getting up in front of people is intimidating - especially if it's my peers.

That being said if I had to teach, I think I would teach kindergarten. Out of all of the age groups I feel that a Kindergarten classroom would be one in which I would be most comfortable.

Before I worked at the college that I'm at now, I worked in a day care for a short time and I loved it. I worked in the room with 2 and 3 year old's; they kept me on my toes but I loved them! I really enjoyed that they allowed me to see the world through their eyes. I think teaching kindergarten would be the same way. You're in a classroom full of kids who are excited to be at school, who are eager to learn, and want to soak up all that they can. Yep, out of all of the stages of life, I think kindergarten would be the most fun to teach.

Who knows, maybe that's what I'll be when I grow up....lol

What about you? What would you teach, or do you get stage fright like me? Let me know in the comments. :)

Jessy <3

Writer's Block: The Beauty of a Rose

A while back in one of my Nail Files posts I briefly mentioned that I've joined the world's of Instagram and Tumblr, out of the two I think I prefer Instagram. However, I found a page on Tumblr called writeworld and I really like it. They have a prompt called Writer's Block where basically they give you a picture and challenge you to write about it. I love to write so I am going to try and do some of these prompts. Hopefully it will bring back some of my creativeness which I feel like I've lost. Here is my prompt for today, it's not long but sometimes it takes a while to remove blocks; hopefully my next prompt will be longer.

Our beauty is like a rose, it's beautiful in every way. 

From the moment it blooms until the day it fades away.

 Jessica Bradford

I hope my posts will encourage you to write. If so, I would love to read what you write. Please comment on my blog post, or feel free to share your pieces on any of my social media pages. My links are found below: 

Facebook - Jessy's Jotted Thoughts

Tumblr - @mspinkydinks

Twitter - @mspinkydinks

Throwback Thursday

It's not often that I have access to all my TBT pictures on an actual Thursday. I usually remember on Friday and think "Oh yeah...yesterday was Thursday and I wanted to post TBT pics!!" So...ya'll get a few of them today.

Me at Mom-mom's House, I own that piano now.

Yes Sponge-rollers, they were sooooo a thing in my house

Being silly with my friends from Idaho

Me and two little guys I used to babysit, Devon and Darrick. Darrick (the boy in the white shirt) just graduated from high school on May 18th. I feel so old...

Aaand one just to embarrass myself... Worst. Hairstyle. EVER!! What the heck was I thinking? On the plus side, my baby bro looks dashing ;)

I guess I should upload all of my pics to a website so I can have access to them anywhere, yeah?! Maybe then I can let you enjoy more of my embarrassing pictures. :)

Jessy

Daughter's Day

Mother's Day is always a hard day for me. Not only because my mom lives so far away from me, but also because my hubby and I have been trying - and failing - to have kids for far too long. Every year, I hope that I can make a fun announcement or actually get to celebrate being a mom on Mother's Day. So far that has yet to happen and it's hard. 

Luckily, I have such a caring and compassionate family. I woke up this morning to a text from my mother, she wanted me to check my email. So I checked it and found this e-card waiting for me. My mom had recorded a message and the cute dog read to me in an English accent. 

My mom said, "In honor of you I am re-naming today Daughter's Day, a daughter like you deserves a day to be queen. You are such a blessing in my life, truly the best daughter anyone could ask for. I know God has a plan for your life; you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are just the way He designed you to be. Love and Hugs, Mom"

So after listening to my e-card its needless to say, I was very touched, and emotional, and crying...lol I can't put into words all that I was feeling in that moment. All I know is that I have the best mom in the world. She is thoughtful, understanding, selfless, and I am very thankful to have her in my life. I would be lost without her. 

Oh but my caring and compassionate family doesn't end there....

My husband had to work early today and his way home he called to see if I wanted anything from the store. I said that I wanted cake... and brownies... Don't judge me remember I had been crying and needed comfort food. Well, not only did he get me cake and brownies he bought me flowers and a Mother's Day card. The inside read, "I can't imagine a wife more wonderful than you, a life more perfect than ours, or a man any luckier than me." He added, "and though you're not yet a mother, a great one you will be." ..... and I cried again...lol Yaay emotions...lol 

So, yes Mother's Day is a hard day for me. But I am a lucky girl who has wonderful family and friends that know how to make it easier. I love them more than words can ever express. <3 

Happy Mother's/Daughter's Day!! 

Nail Files: May 4th, 2014

This is my contribution to Star Wars Day...it was good to paint my nails again. I feel like I haven't done any nail art in a while. Oh wait...I haven't. I have been lacking inspiration lately. Star Wars Day was just what I needed. :-)

May the Fourth be with you,
Jedi Jessy

The Nail Files 4/8/14

Since I don't know if The Nail Files is still a link up that means I can post my pictures on Tuesday or Wednesday if I want to ;-) It's officially Spring in AZ (actually more like summer this week) so I decided to paint daisies on my nails. I like how they turned out but next time I may do pink with yellow dots. The yellow kind of bled into the white flowers and makes it a little hard to see the flowers. But overall they're still cute :-) Is it spring where you live? If not, at least you can enjoy the little daisies on my nails. ;-)

Happy Spring everyone! ~ Jessy

The Nail Files 4/4/14

I haven't posted in a while and it's been even longer since I posted a Nail Files post. I don't even know if this is still a link up, but I thought I would share this week's design with you anyway. :-)

Enjoy!
Jessy

P.S. I have now joined the world of Instagram and Tumblr if you'd like to follow me, my user name for both is mspinkydinks. I'll also add my links to the side bar too. 

Ipsy?! What's Ipsy...

Hi everyone!! So lately I have been wanting to try out some new make-up but see there is this problem, I tend to stick to things that I know. I always get the same thing when I go out to eat, I get the same coffee at Starbucks, and I buy the same make-up. The only thing that I'll be adventurous with is nail polish...although come to think of it there are only a few brands that I own. LOL Recently my mom was talking about looking into Birchbox because we both love samples. I am an avid YouTube watcher so I have heard of Birchbox before simply by seeing Birchbox Reveal videos on some of the channels that I follow. Even though I'd seen the videos listed I had never actually watched a "Reveal" video. But since my mom mentioned it I had to check it out.

After watching my first Birchbox Reveal video another suggested video popped up...Birchbox vs. Ipsy...Ipsy?! I had never heard of that one before. I watched probably 10 Birchbox vs. Ipsy videos and I tell ya I was sold on Ipsy. Both Birchbox and Ipsy are "boxes" of make-up/cosmetic samples that you can subscribe to receive every month for only $10. From the videos it seems that Ipsy's samples are of better quality and sometimes quantity. Plus all of Ipsy's boxes actually come in a different bag every month and we all know how much I love purses, I just couldn't say no to a new cute makeup bag every month...lol I signed up and I'll get my first box bag in mid April. I'm soooo excited, I can't wait!! I'll be sure to show off all of my new goodies when I get them. :)

In the meantime, if you'd like to check out Ipsy you can just click HERE

I'll blog again soon
Jessy <3

70 Questions

I saw this on Facebook and decided it would be better as a blog post than a status. lol ...she wrote probably 6 months ago...Yeah this has been sitting in my draft box for a while.

1. Full name: Jessica Dawn Bradford
2. Nickname: Jessy
3. Zodiac sign: Capricorn
4. Elementary school: Copperview
8. Tall or short: Short and proud of it!
9. Sweats or Jeans: Jeans
10. Apples or Oranges: Apples - my favorite are Golden Delicious
11. Do you have a crush on someone: That's kind of a childish question, then again...Can I have a crush on an actor?! lol 
12. Eat or drink: Depends, I like both
13. Piercings: Just my ears, cuz I'm boring like that ;)
14. Pepsi or coke: Regular Coke, Cherry Pepsi

Have you ever...
16. Been in an airplane ? Yep
17. Been in a relationship ? Yes
18. Been in a car accident ? Yes
19. Been in a fist fight ? No

Firsts & lasts
20. First Piercing: My ears
21. First Best friend: That would be a toss up between Olivia and Kimmee. I've known them both just about as long as the other.
22. First Award: First one I remember (through pictures) was a beauty pageant.
23. First Love: Is that real love or crush? First crush was Quinn, and first real love is Andy.
24. First Word: I don't remember it, but my mom says it was "Papa" :)
25. Last person you talked to in person: Paul
26. Last person you texted: Andy
27. Last friend you watched a movie with: Andy, my hubby :)
28. Last food you ate: Does Dove chocolate count? If not then it was homemade Chicken Gnocchi soup
29. Last movie you watched in theaters: Ummmm....yeah it's been so long I can't remember
30. Last song you listened to? Beautiful Disaster by Jon McLaughlin
31. Last thing you bought: Idk probably coffee, *thinks back over the past day or so* yep, definitely coffee :)
32. Last person you hugged: Karley

Favorites
33. Food? Mexican
34. Drink? Coffee
35. Flower? Roses and Daisies (love the combo)
36. Animal? Cat
37. Color? I love ALL the colors, except that really yucky green color. Yeah, you know the one.
38. Place? Balboa California
39. Movie? Hmmm....today my favorite movie will be The Princess Bride - I'm sure it will be something different tomorrow.
40. Subject? School subject?! I can tell you which is my LEAST favorite ...Math 

Have you ever . . .
41. Fallen in love with someone? Yes, I married him <3
42. Celebrated Halloween? Yes, but oddly enough I celebrate it more now that I'm an adult. lol
43. Went over the minutes/texts on your phone? Nope, thank you unlimited talk/text
44. Wanted to smack someone upside the head? Yes, definitely
45. Eaten a whole pizza? Nope
46. Did something you regret? Hasn't everyone? 
47. Broke a promise? See above, #46. 
48. Hid a secret? See above, #46. That's what good friends do right?! ;)
49. Pretend to be happy? See above, #46.

Your future...
50. Want kids? More than most may realize
51. Want to get married? Been there, done that, still am. :)
52. Career? Hmmmm, I kinda like where I am. But if I had to pick maybe a teacher or a counselor

Which is better in the opposite gender?
53. Lips or Eyes: Eyes
54. Shorter or taller: Taller, but not too tall
55. Romantic or spontaneous: Romantic
56. Hook up or relationship: Relationship
57. Looks or personality: Can I have both? LOL Okay, okay...personality over looks

Have you ever...
58. Lost Glasses/Contacts? Yes, glasses but they've always turned up
59. Snuck Out? Hmmm, not that I remember but I'm sure I have
60. Held a gun/knife for self defense? Thankfully I've never had to
61. Broke someones heart? Yes, I'm sure I have
62. Been in love? How many times is this question going to be on this list? YES, I have been!!
63. Been arrested? Nope

Do you believe in
64. Yourself? Sometimes...lol
65. Miracles? Yes
66. Love at first sight? Yes
67. Santa? Yes, he is my favorite! :D
68. Forever & Always? Yes

TRUTHFULLY
69. Is there one person you want to be with right now? Yes
70. Who are your real friends? Oh there are quite a few: Sarah, Rachel, Jill, Julie, Crystal...just to name a few.

10 Years?!

 

Today I celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary! I can't believe its been that long. God blessed me with a wonderful man to spend my life with. Andy and I have completely different personalities but we are the same in ways that really matter, like the fact that neither of us like sports. LOL ;) No but seriously, we both love God and we love each other, that's all that really matters. 

I must cut this short because Andy has got quite the day planned but I wanted to just commemorate this day to him. I love you Andy and I can't wait to see what the next 10 years has planned for us! 

Jessy <3

Lunch Hour + No Cell Phone = Boring

I forgot my phone today and my lunch hour is rather boring. Everything I do at lunch is on my phone. I have my stupid little games that I play, my kindle is there, and of course there's always texting. I never realized how much I do on my phone. I know it's silly (and kinda sad) but I kind of feel like I left my arm at home.

This little break from my phone has caused me to try and remember what I did for lunch before my phone...Oh yeah there was this time in my life where I spent lunch with people. Of course my work atmosphere has changed and I tend to eat lunch alone more often than not.... :\ I guess that's why my phone is such a good thing to have while I'm eating; it passes the time.

On the bright side of leaving my phone at home. This little break has given me the time to blog mid-day so that's a good thing. :)

Signed, the girl who's ready to have her phone back -
Jessy <3

Friendships Aren't Forever

Recently I was talking to a friend about one of her friendships, while we were talking I kept thinking about an email that I got a while ago. It was one of those forwarded emails but I've kept it because it was one of the rare forwards that was worth keeping. I have attached it below so you can read it. But basically it talks about how we have different types of friends over the course of our lives. Some people are our friends for a reason, some are in our lives for a season, and others are with us for a lifetime.

Now I believe all of us strive to have those lifetime friendships, and I think some of us (myself included) try to shape all of our friends into lifetime friends. We think, "He/She will be my friend forever!" but the truth is not all of our friends are meant to be in our lives forever. As I look back on my own life, I see some of the examples of friends that I've had for a reason or a season. The email has a clear distinction between a "reason" friend and a "season" friend, however personally I think the two kind of mush together a little bit. In the email the "reason" friends are in our lives to meet a specific need, like helping you through a hard time, providing guidance and support, and then disappearing. Whereas it says the "season" friends teach you something, they bring joy as well as help you learn, and grow. 

Like I said, I think the two are almost one in the same. I don't believe that a true friend should ever be in your life just to meet a need; I believe friendship is more than that. Friendship isn't one-sided, it isn't one person strictly serving a purpose for another person. That would be called using someone and it's not a characteristic that I would associate with friendship. Sure serving a purpose in someone's life comes along with being a friend but I believe we affect our friends just as much as they effect us. All of our friends are in our lives for a reason. They help us through the hard times, give guidance and teach us something but some of them are only in our lives for a season. After that season, some may disappear completely and others may just become distant friends, they are still friends but you are not as close as you used to be. We need to learn to accept this fact and not fight against it.

As for lifetime friends, these are the friends that we will always be tight with. They are the friends that teach us lifetime lessons. The ones that we count on to say the right thing, and they usually do - whether it's what we want to hear or not. They are the honest ones, you don't ever have to worry about stepping on their toes because they are just as honest with you as you are with them. They challenge you and make you question your choices. They may be hard on your sometimes but it's only because they love you. They are the friends that will stand by you through thick and thin, and help you bury a body if you need to...lol jk ;) 

I am very blessed to have several friends that I consider to be lifetime friends. Some of these people I have known for years and years, others I've known a short amount of time. However it doesn't matter when I met my "lifetime" friends I feel like I have known them my whole life, they are very close to my heart, and they are there to stay. They are my friends that I don't need to talk to, or see, all the time but yet when we do talk, or spend time together, we pick up right where we left off as if no time has passed at all. These friends help me grow in ways that effect my life, not just bits and pieces of my life but my whole life. They each have had a great impact on who I am and I am very grateful for them. 

So as for my blog post title, it's true, some friendships aren't forever but each one makes you who you are. Each person in our lives is there to teach us something. Some teach us to love, some teach us to trust, some are there to open our eyes and recognize those who aren't our friends - even if you thought they were. Some make us realize that we aren't the type of friend that we thought we were. Be grateful for those that are in your life and remember that they may not be there forever, but your friends will be there for as long as you need them to be there. 

Jessy <3

Click on the image for easier reading :)