Notes from The Hall House- Part 1 (January 2009)

The first two weeks of '09 have passed so quickly! Here are just a couple updates from the Hall House:

JALYN:
The kids have been cracking me up lately. Here's an excerpt from a recent conversation with my girl.

Mom: Jalyn, tell me about your day at daycare.
Jalyn: I played with ____ , she's my best friend. And I played with ____, he's my boyfriend.
Mom: Jalyn, you shouldn't have a boyfriend- you're only four years old!
Jalyn: But Mom-- he's four too! We're the same age!

(Something makes me think she missed the point I was trying to make.)

JAXEN:
My normally loving son, Jaxen, has been a rambunctious little booger lately. Last night he used the word pussycat, but paused VERY long between the two joined words. We had just read a book about a pussycat called Mr. Pusskins (cute kids book, btw), so I thought his statement probably stemmed from the story. The hubby thinks he had some underlying knowledge of what the first half meant, and was pausing on purpose. Hmmm. You be the judge, I guess.

HUBBY O'MINE:
Jr. got shipped off to Ardmore to work at a hospital project there this week. He's been having to leave at 5 a.m. every day, work a ten hour shift and gets home about 7:00 p.m. On Mondays and Thursdays he has to go directly to class, so then he doesn't get home till almost 10:00. Due to the ten hour shifts, they do only work a four day week though, which is certainly good. The bad news is that the job is being shut down. The air conditioning guys on the job have already been sent packing. We're halfway expecting Darrell to get the news on Monday morning. I just pray that there is another job that his employer can send him out to. The problem with being a contract electrician in an unstable economy is that when every rich person freaks out and pulls their money from new jobs, it creates a ripple effect down the chain. I hope the ripple doesn't hit our house. I'm just a wee bit nervous.

JESS-EE-KAH:
Last week was the first full week back in the office, and thankfully, it didn't drag on too much. I'm trying to start the year as an organized, disciplined employee-- on top of my game at all times. It's hard to believe that the end of this month will mark one year that I've been at my new desk. To those who remember this very awkward transition time last year, I bet you are just as relieved as me that I've actually survived! :)

Friday night we went out to support a friend at a local show. We went and had dinner before hand (note to self from 2003ish: never a good idea to drink on an empty stomach), so by the time we reached the club for the show, I was too darn full to even care about having a beer. I don't think I even fully finished digesting until about 11:30, and by then, I was just tired and wanted to go home. Tired, irritable Jess around buzzed Jr.-- not always a good idea. Thankfully I made it home to my bed before any drama occurred:)

So there you have it. Nothing exciting really-- just the day to day life of a working mom with some really cute kids.:) How is 2009 working out for you so far?

Looking Forward

Well, it's officially a new year. And here's to putting 2008 behind and looking forward to fantastic things in 2009! In support of my resolution to read more, here are some books that I'm really looking forward to in the new year.

1. What I Did For Love by Susan Elizabeth Phillips- TBR 1/27/09. SEP is my very favorite romance author. I devour every book she releases, and since it is often two to three years between books, I am absolutely craving some new SEP characters to fall in love with by the time she has a new title out. I'm so excited that 2009 is going to start off with an SEP fix!

2. The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (Pink Carnation Series #5) by Lauren Willig- TBR 1/22/09. I can't recall which blog reviewer raved so highly about this series that I felt compelled to read them, but all I can say is THANK YOU!!! What makes this series different than your run of the mill historical fiction writing is that it mixes a contemporary relationship into the mix as well as the historical action. No, there's no time travel involved-- but the chapters simply alternate between the historical and current time. Lauren Willig keeps it light and entertaining, but also teaches you a little about history as well. Fantastic series!

3. My Jesus Year: A Rabbi's Son Wanders the Bible Belt in Search of his Own Faith- by Benyamin Cohen. This title is already available and is totally up my alley. I can't wait to read this one!

4. Greek Expectations: The Adventures of Fearless Fran in the Land of the Gods by Frances Mayes. Frances Mayes' title "Under the Tuscan Sun" is one of my favorite books of all time, and I can't wait to settle in with her newest work. The most lyrical writing that pulls you in and makes you feel as if you are actually wherever it is she is speaking about. A vacation from your reading chair... how great is that???

5. Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write from The Road-- edited by two women I admire and find hysterically funny, Anne Lamott and Ellen DeGeneres, I have no choice but to dive into this one. It's an older title, but one that I just recently stumbled across.

Hmm. It appears that my January 2009 reading is all lined up. What are you looking forward to reading this year??

It's a Brand New Year (Almost)

I've never been big on resolutions. In fact, I can't really remember the last time I made any. They just always seemed like a surefire way to indicate to myself, yet again, how little self-discipline I have sometimes. But this year... it's going to be different. I swear. You believe me... right?

So here it is, for those three (maybe four) people who will read this and help hold me accountable.

Jessica's 2009 Resolutions:

1. Quit saying "no" to the kids so much. Now, please don't misunderstand this statement. I firmly believe in the necessary NO situations. Such as: "Jalyn, NO RUNNING!" or "Jaxen, NO! You can not pretend your sister is a Dark Force clone trooper/ droid/ padawha (whatever all those mean)." I am referring more to the day to day NO's that the kids hear. The ones that refer to markers on the couch, the jug of milk that's about to spilled everywhere, or pancakes at 7 in the morning on a Saturday. Because really, when you think about.. the couch already has marker lines on it anyway, milk can be cleaned up, and I really should jump out of bed to provide basic needs for my children.

2. Less cleaning. The reality of life with two young children is this-- you can clean and pick up and vacuum and do laundry and on and on and on until you are blue in the face. And it's still going to look the same way tomorrow. My goal is to get things a little more organized (or just buy more Rubbermaid bins to hide everything in) so that I can least present myself and my family with the facade of a clean home.

3. Spend more time doing fun things with the family. (See above number two and you will see where I'm going to get all this extra time.)

4. Blog more. I guess that should be pretty evident since it's been about a month since my last post. I like this resolution as well because my progess can be monitored. If you notice me slacking, please send me a friendly reminder of my resolution #4. Thanks in advance.


5. Read more. I already try to fit in as much reading as I possibly can, but honestly I believe there are some sacrifices that I could make so as to get in more booktime. Less Perez Hilton. More literature. A girl's gotta get her priorities in line.

6. Date nights. I almost said MORE date nights, but since I can't even remember the last time that Darrell and I had a date night, that wouldn't really be an accurate resolution. So I'm simply going to say have date nights in general.


I think I had better stop there so that I don't overwhelm myself with goals:) Wish me luck on my quest to have a more relaxed, more FUN 2009! Just remember... there's no day but today.

The Year Through My Ears

My dear friend DeAnna posted a fantastic blog on her myspace page about the music that has carried her through 2008, so I've decided to steal her blog idea fair and square.

Here we have it, in no particular order... the artists/album/songs that have shaped my 2008:

1. Sharon Little- Sharon was the opening act at the Robert Plant/Allison Krauss show that I attended earlier this year. And WOW! What an opener!! Although she was a total unknown to me, I enjoyed her set just as much as the headliners. Her album is an excellent purchase, and is very aesthetically pleasing as well. The cd actually looks like a record, while the liner notes have beautiful photos and artwork.

2. Kerli- Hailing from Estonia, this beautiful singer/songwriter appears to be quite emo at first glance, but her music actually consists of very uplifting, keyboard driven melodies. I can listen to this album straight through, which says a lot in my book. No skipping tracks on this one--but a standout track that I highly recommend is "Creationist". "Life is my creation, it's my best friend. Imagination is my defense. Whatever happens, when skies are gray, whatever happens... it's meant that way." How can you not love that sentiment?? She summed up my life philosophy in one song:)

3. Julianne Hough- Widely known for her stunning success on Dancing with the Stars, Julianne released her first country album this past year. And although she isn't the best vocalist I've ever heard, she has a knack for picking great story songs that work well for her style. Catchy, upbeat tunes that are perfect for jamming to in the car. And she chose to release a Rebecca Lynn Howard authored song--- now THAT'S smart thinking!

4. Faith Hill- Joy to the World- My girl FINALLY released a Christmas album. And since I can listen to holiday tunes year round, of course I was totally psyched. Faith did not disappoint on this one. Not only did she cover all the greats (O Holy Night, What Child is This, etc.), but she also released a new track called "A Baby Changes Everything" that is outstanding. I dare you to listen to it and not tear up.

5. Jason Mraz- We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.- Ever since my fellow "Backstage Bettie" Shannen introduced me to the Mraz magic last year, I've been riding the musical high that he provides. His newest album exceeded even my high expectations & his live show that I was lucky enough to attend was simply out of this world. Check out his live version of "Beautiful Mess" on youtube.

6. Wedding Mix 08-08-08- Ok. So technically this shouldn't count since it's a mix that I made, LOL, but since our wedding this year was such a huge part of 2007, this mix deserves to be on the list. I don't know if anyone else noticed the fantastic, meaningful tracks that I put together to be playing while everyone gathered before the ceremony, but that's okay.... I'll forever have the cd to bring back the memory for me.

7. Singer/songwriters--- there were many many wonderful singer/songwriters that hit the mainstream this year, so I'm going to lump them into one. Meiko (which I have not purchased yet, so if you need a Christmas gift idea.... *grin*), Lenka, Ingrid Michaelson, Feist... I'm sure I'm forgetting some... but those were my faves.

So there you have it. A musical snapshot of '07 from my life. I'd love to hear yours!! No pun intended:)

In closing, here is one of my favorite videos of the year as well. It's from before 2007, but I just discovered it this year-- that counts, doesn't itI hope you enjoy!

2 Cute 2 B 4Gotten

I've noticed a pattern with me over the past few years (ok... the last decade... I can be honest here). But first, let me preface this confession with a little info you may or may not know about me.

As a "tween", I was supremely obsessed with New Kids on the Block. They were the first concert I ever attended, and I still have my huge scrapbook of clippings from Bop, Bopper, and Teen Beat proclaiming my desire to be Mrs. Jonathan Knight. (Side Note: I feel sorry for the tweens today. You just can't make a kick ass scrapbook out of internet sites as well as you can from all those great teen mags of days gone by).

This being said, it was with extreme excitement that I watched the New(Older) Kids launch their "comeback" this year. And I can be honest, I watched the VH1 special on them, and I fully admit that they aren't the best sounding group in the world and they don't have the slickest moves out there. But I still love them anyway. I have no shame in the fact that I still own their VHS videos, and have been known to bust them out on occassion.

You wanna know WHY I have no shame in this, don't you? I can just see your head trying to wrap around WHY in the world someone would admit to these things. It's really simple actually.... they make me FEEL like a tween again (although the term "tween" didn't even exist in 1990). The first chord of "You've Got It (The Right Stuff)" can immediately make me feel like a giddy twelve year old- complete with accelerated heartrate and sweaty hands. And I like that feeling.

In my educated, psychological opinion (HA!), I've figured out that this is WHY I gravitate towards things that could be considered weird for my age. For example, I have watched the new Jonas Brothers' video for LoveBug, and I liked it. I'm thinking about youtubing it after I finish this post. I have an autographed Kevin Richardson picture matted & framed in my garage (for those who don't know... he's the tall, dark one one from the Backstreet Boys).
And yes, I do love the New Kids new music. Although it's got a new sound, it still makes me want to french-roll my jeans and tease my bangs.

I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to be a kid again. I may be a mom now, with more responsibilities than I could have ever imagined, but I can still cabbage patch with the best of them. At least now I have kids that I can take to the concerts with me. They can be my "excuse" to go jam out and wear my rhinestoned, stone-washed jean jacket. Classics like that never go out of style, right?

Right????

And she returns....

Oh my Lordy... how time flies! It has been fo-evah since I've posted on here. For the three, maybe four, people who care where I've been, here's an update on the Hall House:)

1. At the end of September, my electrician husband decided it was time to do some rewiring in our house. A project we had been putting off until it cooled down outside. I kid you not... the man looked at me and flat out said he would be done in approximately three hours. Well, over a WEEK later, I finally didn't feel like I was living in a Flip This House episode. And I'm not quite certain what happened during that time period, but now my wireless doesn't work.

2. That being said... I hate having to sit at the PC to blog now. I sit at a computer all day at work, so the last thing I want to do at night is sit in this spot. Also, for some unknown reason, captcha codes don't work on this computer. Meaning... I see the box saying "Enter your verification code here", but I see no picture. You can see the dilemma this presents in posting comments, LOL. So if you receive a comment from a random Jessica with no pic... chances are it's me, leaving comments through the Open Id.

3. Computer woes aside, there are some good things going on in my life, I promise;) Last week I travelled to Dallas with two of my dearest friends to see Jason Mraz in concert. Many, many stories I could blog about out of that trip, but suffice to say that I hurt for the entire day afterwards just from laughing so freakin' hard! Good times-- (BTW... did you know that there are two dry cities (yes, cities... isn't that weird???) in the Dallas metro area? And of course, we happened to book our hotel in one of them, LOL. Gives new meaning to the words "beer run"!)

4. Work is absolutely kicking my butt. Nuff said about that.

5. The kids had their first Halloween party last night. And I'm proud to say that my sweet little boy absolutely beat the sh*t out of the pinata and was the one to crack it open. Of course, he then got trampled by all the other kids wanting the candy. Luckily, Nana got it all on video.

6. So I guess that's all that's been going on here. I've got to get to work on doing yet MORE laundry. Does it ever end???

Hope all are well--- sending bloggy love your way!!:)

Four Things

I've been tagged by my girl Heather over at Stelliform (let's see if I did that link right..I'm still learning this stuff. Hope it doesn't take you to some crazy site, LOL) to complete this 4 Things Survey. Read on if you wish, but please go visit her site as well... it's wonderful.


Four Places I Go Over and Over:
1. Work... and after Heather's sudden work debacle last week, I have never been so grateful that I have a place of employment to go to every day.
2. The bathroom. Self-explanatory, right? Just suffice to say that my already pea-sized bladder has never been the same since having children:)
3. The gas station. Whew. Thank goodness gas has finally made it below three dollars a gallon.
4. The library. See prior blog post regarding my local library. (Will someone please teach me how to insert links to back blogs??? LOL)

Four People Who E-mail Me Regularly
1. Heather
2. Shannen
3. DeAnna
4. Dad

Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
1. At a bookstore. Never can get enough of that crazy place;)
2. At the pumpkin patch with the kiddos. We LOVE Halloween & autumn in general at my house.
3. Elk City. I miss my fam.
4. Having dinner at my in-laws. Haven't seen them in quite some time & I am missing their company (not to mention Debbie's ghoulash:))

Four TV Shows I Watch:
1. Spongebob
2. American Idol
3. America's Funniest Home Videos
4. CMT's Top 20

Four Things I Have for Breakfast: I am bad about eating breakfast (unless I'm South Beaching it):
1. Coffee (the one thing I DO have on a daily basis!)
2. oatmeal
3. sausage biscuit
4. sausage & cheese kolache from our local donut shop.. yummo!!

Four Animals I Like Best
1. Koalas
2. Elephants
3. giraffes
4. kangaroos

Four Beaches I've Been to
1. South Padre
2. Castaway Cay (the Disney owned island)
3. Nassau
4. Hmmmm... I can't think of any others.

Four People I'm Tagging to Do The Four Things Meme
1. Sammanthia at The Edge of Insanity
2. Kathy at 2Kids 3Martinis
3. Amie at A*B's Words
4. Shannen (I know you're stalking my page.. just admit it:)... you can leave yours as a comment!)