Getting in Front of the Camera

I have made a decision to actively try and take more pictures of the people in my life. And the things we do. This decision is thanks to Abigail, who persuaded me to bring my big camera to the gun range yesterday. I'm so glad I did. I even let Abigail take some pictures of me. And I made sure to get a picture of my dad! He's at the bottom of this post. 
I decided that no matter how fat I feel, I will cherish these memories someday, and if I don't get pictures of myself, I may regret it. I will be making my camera a bigger part of my life. I want to start having these images all around my home! So I need more :)
Let's all give a round of applause to Abigail, who can focus my camera very well for a beginner. :)

Do you try and get in front of the camera sometimes too?

It's hard! 

Photography - DJ and Julia, Part 2

First of all, I know I have been gone a lot lately. Truth is, a lot has been happening around here. Not the best stuff. But we are working through it. The other day, to get my mind off of it, I finally went out and got some more pictures of my brother and Julia. I got some pictures of them in New York, but it was raining, and I was a wuss about getting my camera wet.
Plus, it was cold.
Anyway, I took advantage of the sunshine the other day and got some pictures. Now that Julia has her ring and everything, you know.

Let me know what you think. My mom was happy.
And that's all that matters right? Pictures of her son without his glasses.

I think he looks weird, but who am I to judge.

I love these people.

My New Sister

Well I announced this on my facebook page a few days ago, but for those of you who aren't friends with me, I have an announcement to make! I am getting a sister! No, my parents aren't having another baby. 
My brother is getting married!

He left on Friday to be deployed, so we don't know when they will get married. But I am so excited! Julia is the sweetest, nicest person you will ever meet. My brother definitely needs someone like her! <3 And because I love you and because it is Halloween,  I am giving the template I made to create the collage above to my readers! Click here to download the PSD file.
Disclaimer: This file was created by me and is my intellectual property.  You are free to use it for noncommerical work, but please do not redistribute as your own.  That is stealing and it makes me sad.
Happy Halloween, Friends!

Friday Letters

Dear Friday, You know I love so much when you visit. But this week, since I have been gone, I am so far behind on everything. Thank you for being here, one last day to work before the weekend. 
Dear Vegas, I was so glad to see you and act like a tourist in a town I have been to veryy many times, just never got to experience the strip or the bars or much of that. 

Dear Nana, I loved spending time with you and talking with you. Hearing stories I had never heard before. Hearing your stance on religion, which I had never heard, but is remarkably like mine. I feel more and more like you every time I see you. 

Dear Bed, I have missed you. It was so hard to get out of you this morning. Hotel beds are great, but there is nothing like my bed. 
Dear Dakota, no matter where I go in the world, (don't worry I never go far) I always love coming back to you the most. You really do complete me. I hope you know that.
Dear Loki and Scooter, I am so proud of you guys for getting along better. It is a little more difficult to share a bed with two furballs instead of one, but I love having you guys with me. Especially when I go to bed and you follow me in there. That feels great!
Happy Friday Loves! I am sooo glad to be back!

Me, Myself, and I - September

1) When you're feeling down, what do you do to pick yourself up?

Listen to happy music, play with my cat, watch an old sitcom. I am pretty easy to cheer up, most of the time.

2)  If you had to live in a different time period which would you prefer?

I really love the one I am in, because I love new technology. But other than that, I think I would have been good in the 60s. I think I would make a decent hippie. I am very pro-real food, natural cleansers, peace and love, but I can also be very contradictory... (see below)

3)  What is the most creative Halloween costume you've ever worn?

One year I was a punk rocker.  I never could convince my parents to buy me a costume (those suckers are expensive) so I wore an old ratty Ozzy t-shirt that my mom had fixed so that it would fit me, put gloves on and one of my belts and I was good to go.

In retrospect, I think this is a more extreme version of who I already was.

(Were we all this scary at 16, or was it just me?!)
(P.S. I still love Slipknot, though.)


Funniest part of that story is that my mom did the same thing for her work's Halloween.
Psst.. Please don't tell her this image is on the internet! She will kill me.

4)  Five weird things about you we wouldn't know without being told?

1. This is my natural hair color.  I stopped dying my hair about three or four years ago.

2.  I still love 90s pop. N'Sync. Backstreet Boys.
I even listen to them at work sometimes.

3. I hate having wet hair on my skin.
When I get out of the shower I always have to put it up until it dries.
Because I am lazy and don't like to blow dry.

4. I am really hippy about some stuff (see question 2) like dye free laundry soap and using natural cleansers and using recycled materials, but I still drink soda occasionally (more and more rarely, yay!) and eat meat.
Is that weird?

5.  I have an old Photobucket account from when I was 16.
Hence where I found the previous pictures.
 Please don't tell my mother.
And please don't make me login to that account ever ever again.

5)  What would you tell your 16-year-old self?

Value yourself. Don't take everything so seriously.
And don't ever.
Ever.
Dress like this.

...On second thought, it makes for some pretty good blog posts.

Project Life - My Way

So, I'm not much of a crafter. I hate getting my hands dirty. I can't knit. I can't crochet. (Despite my mother's attempts to show me.) But when I came across Project Life, I was like, now I can scrapbook! (For those of you that don't know, Project Life is a way of scrapbooking that is much simpler, and much more laid back than traditional scrapbooking. More of scrapping your life how it happens, rather than waiting for specific big events)
So I thought.  I am a designer.    I can do this myself. And so I did.    Granted, my pages aren't as intricate as some of the ones I have seen.  (Search for Project Life on Pinterest for some great scrapbooking porn!)  Here is some of what I did, just to give you a glimpse:

This is one of the first pages I did. I had all these great pictures and no idea what to do with them. That's when I started playing with free digital scrapbooking pieces and clipping masks in photoshop. And this is the look I got. This is still one of my favorite pages, but maybe it is because I am so glad of the pictures I got.

This page isn't really about a specific week, like much of project life is, but I knew that Dakota and I didn't have a lot of pictures together (he hates it when I pull out my camera -- ladies, will that ever go away?) But I wanted a way to showcase some of our relationship together. I thought of this as a cover page, but now I think it will be just fine in the book. (Anyone have tips on getting Dakota to take pictures? Four years together and this is all I have to show for it!)

This is one of the more recent pages I did. Sparked by some difficult times in my family (my dad lost his job, please keep him in your thoughts and my brother moving to Virginia, rather than San Deigo) I wanted to look at pictures of my family. I am very happy to be in the family I am in. Despite the fact that my brother is going to be around the world from us, I still feel like we are a close family.  (This sparks an idea! I need to do a page of him in the military. These pictures were in his last few months home before he left -- he left about 2-3 weeks after he graduated high school)

I believe you already saw most of these pictures here, but this is still one of my favorite pages. I am very proud of the pictures I got, and looking at them makes me happy. Dakota and I need to go on more vacations together. 

I think the biggest issue that I have is journaling. A big part of Project Life is journaling. I try to journal on the pages, and I did on the first page above, but after that, I concentrated more on the pictures. But I know someday, when my children and grandchildren look at these, they will want the stories. They will want to know why we were in the mountains, or how Dakota and I met. So my goal for the rest of the pages I make is to try and explain. I know that is what I would have wanted from my grandparents. Hell, even my parents.

Have you ever done Project Life? If so, what did you think?

Disconnecting and Unwinding

So, you may have noticed that I have been a bad blogger lately.
Or maybe you haven't. Who knows.
Anyway, I have just been overwhelmed. Burned out. Tired.
In need of a huge glass of wine.
I needed a break.

Luckily, Dakota's annual trip to the mountains was coming up. So I decided to take a day off and join him for a night (he was gone for a WEEK! Four years together and I still miss him like crazy when he's gone!)
And by golly, I am so glad I went. It was nice to not have cell phone reception and not have to be anywhere, or really have to do anything except laugh, hang out, read, and spend some much needed quality time with my beau.
The mountain air felt amazing. I can't wait for cold weather.

Dakota and I took a few walks together, just the two of us, and talked. It was, for lack of a better word, awesome. Definitely plan on going again later in the season, and next year.

I think in our world today, we are too focused on productivity, getting things done, and being the best that we can be all. the. time.

I think that is a noble goal, but we are only human. Our bodies can only take so much abuse. And mine was about to give out. My mini-vacation came at a great time.

My advice to you on this Monday, is take the time to relax. Turn off your cell phone. Give your loved ones a nice big hug. It feels great.

Your body will thank you for it.

And, because you have been so good, here are some pictures from my trip (my camera battery was dying - I forgot the spare! :() I didn't get that many because I finally got a good stiff drink..or two.....











Happy Monday!

Little Letters

Source: Pinterest

Dear Friday, Why did you take so long to get here? I've been waiting for you all week! Dear Dakota, thank you  for all the cleaning you did this week. It's pretty much the way to my heart. That and chocolate. Dear Loki, thank you for laying down with me a few times this week. It makes me realize that you aren't always bat shit crazy. Dear Dakota, I will miss you while you are in the mountains next week. It is so hard having you sleep next to me. But I am happy I will get to join you for a night! Dear Calendar, can we fast forward to the 24th please so that I can get away and disconnect and just read books? I need those pine trees! Dear Abby, I miss your face. It has been hard with me working so much and with you in a new relationship, but we will get through it. Dear Readers, would you ever buy some of my artwork as prints? I am considering moving forward in a new venture. Let me know what you think, or what you would buy. Happy Friday, Loves!

Wordfull Wednesday - Instagram

I love mornings at work.  Very calming and beautiful to watch the sun come up over the mountains.

Abigail, Marina, and I played Dakota and Skyler at Trivial Pursuit. I was surprised by how many answers I knew!

Yes, I am a Cat-agramer. But he is so cute! And so wacko-crazy! Right now he is trying to attack me as I type on my laptop. I think he is a blogger at heart!

This is probably my favorite instagram picture ever. My two boys, playing with each other. There were a few cute ones after this, where Dakota was hitting Loki with his hair. It was too cute. It warmed my heart!

Have you been taking Instagram pics this week? We'd love to have you link up at #iPPP!

 

 

 

July So Far

So far, July has been off to a good start.

Because I have been lazy about weekly Instagram posts, here is my life in July so far  through Instagram.



1) Loki after staying up all night crying. He doesn't like his crate. He has since gotten used to it a  bit, because whenever I put him in it (even in the middle of the day if he's particularly rambunctious..yes, I am a bad fur-parent) he just curls up and goes to sleep. I think he just accepts it.

2) Loki. Taken about two seconds after the first picture. I thought he was finally relaxing but it seems that I was wrong. He went absolutely bat shit crazy.

3) The craziness makes his sleep that much sweeter. I love watching him sleep.

4) One of the rare occurances of me wearing full make up. On Saturday, I went to the wedding of two of the sweetest people I have ever met and had the pleasure to work with. I took Abigail. It was very sweet and I am not ashamed to admit that I cried in more than one spot. There were a lot of laughs. Especially when, in the vows, they promised each other to spoil their Great Dane. After five years of engagement, the title of the day was FINALLY!

5) The centerpiece of our table, "Fishie". All of the tables were named after their dog's favorite toys. I was seated with one of my coworkers and his wife. It was nice to spend sometime outside of work. We did talk about work quite a bit, but that's what happens when coworkers get together!

6) I love when Loki curls up next to me. He is adorable.

7)  I can't explain why I took this picture. I think I was bored. I'm trying to get over my disdain of pictures of myself. ESPECIALLY smiling. So I am trying. What do you think?

8) I know. Enough pictures of the cat. But he just cracks me up sometimes with the way he sleeps.

9) My adorable pair of shoes!  $8 at Target! They got a little scuffed at work (I do work in manufacturing -- this should've dawned on me before I wore them to work but I wouldn't be who I am if I did. ) They are still cute though. Suede is just hard.

And, I've been thinking that if I do a Project Life project, that it will be easy to write journaling cards if I just go by these posts :P So maybe I will be successful afterall.

Little Letters

Dear Impatient Lady Behind Me, Honking at me to turn left into oncoming traffic is not a smart idea. I hope the hand signal I gave you conveyed the message I was trying to get across: You and your hurriedness to get some where are not more importnat than mine and my truck's well being. Dear Dakota, I am glad you finally gave in to my wishes and let me get a kitten. Dear Kitten, thank you so much for filling a void in my heart that I didn't know I had. I hope you love me half as much as I love you. And I'm sorry I haven't decided on a name yet for you. Dear JR, thank you for being good to my Abigail. If you weren't (or if this ever changes), please be aware that I have ways of hurting you. You don't mess with my best friend. Dear Weekend, Why did you have to pass by so quickly? I don't want to go to work tomorrow. Dear America, thank you for being a great country to live in. We have our problems, that's for sure, but I still love living here and being an American. Happy Fourth! Dear Readers, I hope you are enjoying what I'm writing! I love getting comments! Let's be friends!

Friday Letters

Dear Friday, thank you for finally getting here. I have been waiting not-so-patiently  for you all week long. Dear Boss, thank you so very much for the raise. It feels so good to be appreciated for all the hard work I do. Not to gloat, or anything. Dear Sunshine, I love you. I really do. But I am tired of 100 degree weather. So thanks for getting back into the 80s this weekend. Dear Backstreet Boys, thank you for being my guilty pleasure. How else could I escape to the 90s without you?  Dear Scooter, Didn't we talk about this last week? PLEASE stop waking me up right before my alarm. I really need my beauty sleep to become the gorgeous creature I have to become every single day. Dear Dakota, thank you for the surprise of champagne and cookies this week. I think this should become a weekly ritual. Dear Disney Songs, listening to you makes me dance. And be more creative. And happy. And lots of other things. Thanks for being on Spotify so I can listen to you all day long. Dear Uncle Kracker, Thanks for writing "Good to be Me", it has been my theme song since it came out. Why? Because, damn, it feels good to be me. Dear Dakota, I wish you had the weekend off again. I love doing nothing with you.  Dear Frank Beddor, you write increasingly addictive books. I just can't put them down. I wish I could write my blog like that. Can you send me some tips? Kthanx.

Family Reunion

I haven't shared very many pictures of my own lately.

Because I am a bad blogger.

And most of the pictures I have taken lately have been of Waterman gates.

It's been all work and no play for my poor camera.

Well, the situation has been rectified!
I finally got some pictures worth showing you.
Because I am very self-concious. Even though I am probably the only one reading this blog.
Probably because I say "because" so much.

I'll work on that.

Ahem.

Anyways.

My Aunt Jonye came back home to California from Texas (I say home, but really she has lived longer in Texas than she did here..) and I have to spent a large amount of time with her whenever she is around.

Because I love her.

And because I love you guys, here are some pictures! This is my first time making a collage type thing, so be nice. :)

 

Happy Father's Day to My Dad

As you may or may not know, the Dork and I do not have any children.

So you  know what that means?

That Father's Day is still about the best Dad in the world, mine!

I have told you about my parents before, but I didn't get a chance to tell you about the awesomeness that is my dad.

My dad is very different from my mom. Where she is outgoing and loud, my dad is more reserved, like me (I'd like to think). We have always had a great relationship, me and my dad. Even when I was a baby I would cry when he went to work. But I think every kid does that at some point. :)

My dad and I (and by association, Dakota) have a lot of interests in common, such as electronics, nerdy stuff, cars.. the list goes on and on. And when Dakota and my dad get together they can talk and talk and talk and talk.

You get the point?

They talk a lot.

Although my parents are very different, and sometimes seem as they are on other planets in terms of who they are, the older I get the more I realize they bring out the best in each other. My mom brings my dad out of his shell and makes him have fun, and my dad reigns in my mom when she needs it.

The older I get, the more I realize that there is no one in this world better for my dad than my mom.

My dad couldn't neccessarily give  Brother and I everything we ever wanted, but he made sure we never went without.
We learned the value of money. Brother and I are both better off in the finances department because my dad warned us about the evils of buying on credit.

My dad, more than anything, wants us to have it better than he did. And I think so far he has succeeded. At least with Brother. ;)

(I had to put this this picture to show how I missed the tall gene. My dad is 6'6" tall. I'm 5'5". How is that fair?!?)

My dad didn't have a particular religon growing up, because his dad was Jewish and his mom is Baptist. So we were not really raised with a particular religion, but we were raised to know right from wrong and to listen to our consciences. I hope to teach my children the same way.

My point is, my dad did the best he could for us and thanks to him, and my mom, I think Brother and I turned out pretty well. At least, Brother did. :P

 I wish all the Father's out there the best Father's day possible! And if you live in California, hold off on doing your yard work. It is supposed to be 104 here tomorrow. Take the day off.

I love you Dad, Happy Father's Day!

If you like this post, and maybe like me just a little bit, come vote for this post at Mr. Wonderful Contest at My Little Life. Just click "Like" under Jessie Kay Graphics and Design! If we win we get a $100 gift card! Thanks for your support!

Friday Letters

Dear Dakota, thank you for curling up with me and watching Jack and Jill, no matter if you were feeling too sick to go do other things. Dear Truck, thank you for not doing that not-wanting-

to-start-thing. I guess that talking-to I gave you helped. Keep it up. Dear brother-in-law, please stop eating my cereal. when you pay rent I might share my cocoa pebbles. Until then, you are

eating my primary source of food. Stop it. Dear Abigail, I'm sorry that your birthday wasn't the best ever, but I am glad your truck is getting fixed! Dear Brother, I miss you more every day.

I can't wait for the news if you are being stationed here! And I can't wait until you come to visit in October, too! Dear Weekly Review, I am looking forward to you tomorrow. Nothing I like

more than to scratch 3 things off my to-do list and add 50 more. Dear Scooter, Please stop meowing at me at 4:30 AM. I am aware I don't wake up that early anymore. I don't need you as my

alarm clock. Especially since what you want is for me to lay out Dakota's blanket. He's not the one who wakes up for you. I am. I will lock you out next time. Dear Friday Night, why are you taking so long to get here?! Dakota's off and I want to drink! Hurry it up, bro.Dear Microsoft, please program a way for me to put two spreadsheets on my seperate monitors. I really hate having to switch back and forth. It's annoying.

Lots of love,

Jessica <3

My Parents

I know this is an old picture (I want to go back to Christmastime.. my favorite time of year!) but I just had to share it and tell you a little about my parents. My mom just had her birthday on Monday, so I thought I would give her a nod today, since I didn't think of it yesterday and I am the worst daughter ever. I bought her pizza for her birthday, though, to make up for it. She was happy. (I had gotten over my bad case of the Mondays by then.) My brother sent her flowers. He's trying to win.



This is my Mom and Dad at Christmas (Duh. Tree.) This is actually a shot in between when they were posing and I was pretending to adjust settings and I caught this moment. It is my favorite. I am forever learning about my camera, and this was two months ago now, but whether or not this picture is technically perfect, this is still a great image of my parents. Their love is so evident.

Plus they are wearing matching "Navy Mom" and "Navy Dad" shirts. That makes me happy. And makes me miss my brother, who is in the Navy (you didn't think I was the sailor, did you? Psh.) and is on the other side of the country, in New York. He was here for Christmas. Another reason I would gladly get on a time machine back to Christmas. I just love Christmas.

Anyway, if I could only tell you three things about my mama, it would be these:

1. Her name is Joy, and her laugh and smile definitely live up to that.


2. She loooooooooooooves coffee. Seriously. She can drink it all day long. And I can barely finish a cup.


3. She has a very creative mind, I learned how to paint / draw from her. (Along with my Nana, my dad's mom, but that's a whole other story.) I used to be in awe of the things she created, and I am now still.

I love my Mama and hope she had a great birthday! Now we can get to planning mine! Yay!