To my parents

Mom & Dad,

My world.

My everything.

One thing I wanted to write to you is to know you will never, ever lose me. It won't happen.

I want you to know that even though I change my last name, I will always be a J at heart.

I've got to tell you as well, I am beyond excited for you to be grandparents to our children. They will gain the absolute best of the best.

I want you to know how thankful I am you taught me what love means. What I deserved. And have been my rock at my lowest of lows. (Mostly when I "borrowed" the car and decided to meet a guy ;)-bad idea)

You have truly shown me the way of life. (And thankfully brought me up as a KU fan along with that)

Thank you for showing me how beautiful giving is. And for introducing me to the Lord and making it a priority in our life.

I love you both. So, so so much. Honestly, so much it just hurts sometimes.

And thank you for welcoming the man I love to your lives so easily, and like one of your own.

Without you both, I would have never found my other half.

I love you. Now. Always. And forever.

Love,

Your Little Girl

Bachlorette Party Weekend 7.14.12

July 14, 2012 was one for the books.


Actually, we did write a book about the night at about 3:30 in the morning that night.

Talk about a shit show at it's finest.

We started the day off meeting up at the Boulevard Brewery in Kansas City, Missouri. That place is legit. The best part? You get to sample the beers. The rest we just kind of cruised through. Even though I have to say it was pretty suhweeeeet.

While we were there we also saw a wedding reception set up for that night and it was gooooorgeous. Kinda fit the day perfectly. Even though I totally wanted to be a wedding crasher at it.

Then we headed to the hotel. 914, to be exact. Where all the fun happens obviously. I walked in and was completely shocked to see the whole room decoared with pink and black streamers/balloons, gift bags for each girl, goodies for moi, music rocking and a fridge filled with jello shots. Talk about a paaaarty.

The planners definitely rocked it. A special thanks to Lindsey Lou for making the invites and party planning. She got it right on the money. And of course thanks for everyone else who helped and joined in the fun. (and thank you mom, aunt diana, and steph for the honeymoon goods ;))

I also was surprised with some custom shirts. And they were perfect. "Buy me a whiskey, it's my last night to get frisky." Yup, money time.

My friend Jess also brought a little man named Jeff who just so happened to be in his bday suit ready to party.  Had way too much fun with that and decided I better leave those pictures behind. Needless to say, he was the life of the party.

A few little recaps of the night so I don't write about a year long post about all the freaking hilarious things that happened that night.

1.) "Jeff" did A LOT of dancing. Mostly on poles and behind people. But on the poles upside down would have to be the highlight of his dancing career. Oh and maybe when he crowd surfed. That was fun too.

2.) We played the Bachlorette card game (for like a second) and it had me dyyyyyyyyying.

3.) "Jeff" met the cops. And many other people for that matter. He was pretty much a star.

4.) We did a lot of bull riding. I officially failed. As you can see in the picture, I am hanging on for dear life. Thankfully she survived.

5.) Too many shots. I at some point started regretting my shirt. Too many shots.

6.) One of the girls got maced.

7.) Jeff got left. With his shirt and all.

The rest is going to go with the saying..."What happens at the bachlorette party, stays at the bachlorette party."

I do know I haven't laughed that hard in a loooong time. I also know I haven't felt that bad in a loooooooooong time. Success is what I call that. A complete, success.

Now I think it should be an annual event.

about that time

I realize I've been gone. And I realize I say that about every single time lately.

My mind has been in about 100 bazillion different directions/places and it has a hard time focusing.

10 days until the wedding. 

I started working on my classroom and enrollment is this THURSDAY.

*insert fainting here*

So needless to say I've been busy and trying to keep my head on my shoulders. I have some pretty legit motivators so I am surviving.

Yesterday my aunt, mom, and I finally got to start working in my classroom. It was a big ol' ball of scared to death, excited, freaking out, and ya whatever else goes with those emotions. I was those.

My mom is a teacher and my aunt was a teacher before she retired so thank the heavens for them helping me out. I said it before and I'll say it again, I seriously owe them my life.

I got to meet a good amount of the staff and I couldn't ask for nicer, more genuine group of people to work with. As the classroom comes together and my heart stops pounding (as much) out of my chest, I am beginning to get really excited about this year and all it has to hold.

And I am going to sleep about 500 hours a day because Lord knows I won't be sleeping much soon.

So here is a little sneak peek of the classroom as of now. Work in progress, but boy it's getting there!

(i miss you)

the 411

Can I just say it is totally NOT as easy to recover after drinking for 12 hours? Well it has totally kicked my butt. Which to me means... Bachlorette party success. Pictures coming soon.

I can say there was some involvement with blow up dolls, lots of dancing, too many shots, and bull riding experience.

Anyway, today I'm linking up with one of my all time favorites Becky at From Mrs to Mama for the 411 about me. Uh oh, are you ready?!

1. How long have you been blogging? And what got you started on blogging? Has your blog changed?
I have been blogging for about a year and a half now. I started blogging becaue I have the worst memory evvvver and I wanted to remember this journey I was on. I first started using it to write down DIY things I'd found and then after we got engaged it turned into almost a little journal. It definitely has blessed me more than I imagined.

2. Did you go to college? If so where, and what did you study?Sure did. University of Kansas (ROCK CHALK) to be exact. I students Elementary Education and am starting my first teaching job in just a few short weeks. Terrified is an understatement. If only college wasn't so short. I sure miss it like crazy.

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

First? That's a touch one. Actually gas would probably be the first thing I'd buy because knowing me, I'd be on empty. Then I'd go buy a really sweet camera so I could take pictures of all the really awesome places I was about to go on.

4. What are your three biggest pet peeves?

-People who drive slow.
-Lies
-Whistling/Clicking noises

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

Well that is almost an impossible question. I like all of them (minus tea) in different occasions. I'd have to say I drink beer the more though. I do love me some red wine though, and could always use a whiskey and sprite. Other than that, water is definitely where it's at. But I sure don't drink it enough.

6. What is something you enjoy to do when you have me time?
Well one thing is obviously blogging. It puts a little pep in my step and finding people with so many common interests as you is always fun. However, I haven't done blogging at much lately (wedding in less than 20!). I also looooove to read. I get way to sucked in though, talk about obsession.

7. Share with us an embarrassing moment of your past? Or present.
It's weird because I know I have had a bazillion embarrassing moments, but now that I'm asked..I can't really remember one. A good one at least. I do have a recent one, which isn't crazy embarrasing but it totally embarrassed me.

I was at a restaurant with the family, that happens to be only open two days a week, so of course there were a bazillion people there. The waitress found out we were there doing stuff for the wedding so she asked me (and my brother because she thought he was my fiane-yikes) and yelled for the whole restaurant to yell congrats to me. Insert red face here.

8. If your life was turned into a movie..what actor would play you?
I have no idea who would play me, but I'd want to be Kelly Ripa or Julia Roberts. Love love love them both. And no this doesn't answer the question, but I thought I'd give them a shout out.

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

High School
-Bank- I don't advise that to anyone unless they have baller co-workers. Worst.Ever.
-Restaurant- I have most everyone free cheesecake so I'd get a good tip.
-Golfing Range- Which I would just dance around in the store to country music and dust the shelves and pick up balls.

College
-Sporting Goods Store
-Nanny- For 5 wonderful years. Wouldn't trade that for the world.
-School of Education- All I really did was look at food on stumbleupon and then discovered pinterest. It was a pretty tough life.
-Athletics Dept.- I got to deliver mail to all the staff and coaches. One of the coolest experiences at KU. I've got to thank Jeff for that.

10. Show us a picture of you in high school or college.

12. Show us the most current picture of you or you and your family.

13. Where do you see your life 5 years from now?

I see myself following God's plan. So wherever that takes me, is where I will be.

friday's letters

Dear Gabbie Dog, I love you. I love you. I love you. annnnd I love you.

Dear Bachlorette Party Peoples, I am SO excited to see y'all this weekend for the Bachlorette Extravaganza. I hope my liver can handle it. But really, I am so flipping excited to get the party started and see all of your faces.

Dear Mom, You save my life, like everyday. Thank you.

Dear Jeff, I miss you like crazy. It's been a week and I just want to see you. Like right now. But like you said, together foreva soon :)

Dear Family, I thank God every day for you. Y'all are my world.

Dear Blog Frans, I love you guys. Your comments make my day. I'm sorry I have been a major slacker at reading blogs lately, but this whole 23 days until the wedding is not really allowing for much other time. Just know I love you guys and am thankful for you!

Love always,

Molly J

the best wedding advice I've ever received

So today marks the day of our first official wedding card in the mail. (not including the bridal shower)

At the end of this card, my relatives left a note. A P.S. in fact. He wanted to share some words of wisdom about the upcoming future of our married adventure.

This is the advice I received:

I died.

And died.

And died again.

The funniest part is that the card is from a distant realtive that I rarely ever see.

Although it was definitely the opposite of the best wedding advice I'd ever received, it made me chuckle. Thank you for the advice but I think I'll stick to getting married. :)

a wednesday full of wedding

24 days. Woweeeee. The day is approaching in the speed of lightning. Maybe even faster than that.

It was been go-go time for the past few months and somehow the list always has another "to-do". Even though I must say we are knocking things off the list left and right.

I also think that we have officially bought out Hobby Lobby. It's true. We are those people who go in and out of hobby lobby with our 40% coupon. We as in the whole family, one by one, exchanging iphones. It's hilarious.  Teamwork to the max, oh how teamwork has made this whole wedding. It really DOES take a village to plan a wedding. Thank the Lord for the help. Thank the Lord.

This past weekend (okay I know it's Wednesday but whatever) my parents, brother, and aunt ventured off to Missouri to my other aunt's house to make burlap runners, 56 of those bad boys, and some of the bridesmaids gifts.

pre-sew and iron

56 runners may not sound bad, but it's no joke. Mom and I were the edge folders/ironers and my aunts were the sewers. They turned out perfect though but I felt perdy bad I picked such an orny little runner to do.

I also realized that one of the coolest parts about living at the lake is riding the golf carts around, other than the whole seeing the gorgeous lake every day part. So much fun. That's probably why half of the time when I "golf" I usually just ride the golf cart and eat sunflower seeds.

Anywho, we even got to see a round two fireworks show on the lake. These bad boys lasted over an hour. Talk about an hour of a normal towns finale. Pure awesomesauce.

Sometimes it overwhelms me how incredibly lucky I am to have so many helpers, motivators, etc in this whole wedding process. Jeff and I are crazy lucky and I hope someday we can give back to them what they have all given to us.

These are the memories I will remember the most. The time together, the "mishaps", the work put into it all, that is what is remembered. Not what's on the tables. Not if everything is straight and perfectly placed. Not anything of those little things that really don't matter.

Not gonna lie, I'm going to miss all this after our day is here. It's been quite the blessing. And hopefully my mom doesn't kill my indecisiveness by then :) She really has been an angel!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY my frans.

buffalo chicken dip (i die)

Do you have a paper and pen? I hope so because you need to write this down, like right now.

If you know me at all, you should know my love for anything buffalo. And that does not include the animal.

If I see buffalo sauce anything on a menu, you bet I'm most likely going to snatch it up.

At my friends graduation party awhile back, her dad made some killer buffalo chicken dip. I may or may not have put a dent in it. Anyway, yesterday I figured I'd see if anything was like it online so I could make it for our little dinner for two.

I found and went running. To the store.

We made another dip too that I found on pinterest but it just doesn't really compare. And the prep work sucked majorly (it's the poolside dip).

So here is what you will need for the little piece of heaven:

2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken (doesn't that sound just lovely) , drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup Ranch dressing
3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot (I put in about a cup - we like it hot)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 jumbo box of wheat thins (okay this is just a suggestion)


Here's how it works:

1.) Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skiller over medium heat, until heated through.
2.) Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing.
3.) Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer to slow cooker (if you are doing it for a par-tay - we just left it on low on the skillet for a bit to chow down)
4.) Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on Low setting until hot and bubbly.

That's it.

source for picture

Quick. Easy. Not many ingredients. AMAZING. IN LOVE.

But really, you should try it :)

Now I'm starving and am going to go heat some up. Speaking up, it feeds an army.

House Progress {1}

On May 29th, which happens to be the day before the best day of the whole year, we bought our casa.

When we first bought it we knew it was move in ready. What we also knew was that we were going to fix up a lot of things to make it more Molly-Jeff style and a little more up-to-date.

Like my mom said, with ideas comes time and work. True that. In my head I pictured painting the whole living area/kitchen/dining room and bedroom taking about a day or two. I figure the trim would just take about two seconds.

Now I'm laughing at myself. I guess I don't have much painting experience to know, it's a biatch.  Mostly the trim and the edging, which I definitely could not do very well. Thank the Lord my Mom and Dad came up for a few days and helped us knock it out.

So now we have the walls painted, the trim painted in the living area, and are working on getting some white doors to match the new trim.

What I present is a little "progress report" how the updates we've done. They are small, but have made a huge difference in making the house feel more ours. Plus, it'll be fun to look back at the process.

Now if someone could find the perfect area rug or the living room I would just love y'all to pieces. Needs some colors up in herre.

Now for the difference.{and yes I realize we don't have any decorations yet. baby steps..baby steps.}

BEFORE

See ya laaaaaaater maple smaple trim.

 

 

Wall Paint: Sherwin Williams - Versatile Gray. Trim Paint: Sherwin Williams - Dover White

Say goodbye to the maple doors soon!

Insert colorful rug here.

Well there is our first progress report, and I can't wait to see it all finished! Need some color to spice up all the brown.

Happy 4th of July EVE! Hope everyone is blowing up tanks and growing snakes.