seven wants

because my want list is overwhelming, i decided to use my pinterest boards to help me consolidate. here are seven of my 'wants' all courtesy of my pin's:

a new tattoo

to cover our patio.

to hang this swing from our covered patio.

to accomplish this

toms

this outfit

for this relentless texas summer to lighten up on the extreme heat already...please, and thank you.

eight fears

well...this is a hard one. eight fears....a few quickly come to mind, but EIGHT...i'm not sure if i can think of eight. i'll give it a try, but no promises....i'm pretty fearless.(haha)

1)ants. seriously. can't even post a pic.

2)not being able to carry one of my own.

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3)being trapped underwater.


4)plane crashes.


5)something happening to my animals/house while i am away.

...and that's all i got. :)
what about you?

the challenge

quite a few of my favorite real life/blogger friends have partaken in a little blog challenge recently. i have thoroughly enjoyed reading their responses & viewing their pictures.
so, you see, since marli, cortney, miyan and marcy have all shared themselves through this challenge, i thought i should attempt it as well.

10 ten secrets

1. i still sleep with a stuffed bunny and a blanket from childhood; nes and gankie. (i know, poor zach)

2. my sister had a gankie of her own when we were little, and considering she was 5 years older than me hers always looked so much more worn and cozy. therefore, i once took a pair of siccors and cut little holes in my gankie in attempt to achieve the 'worn and cozy' look. i still feel guilty about doing that, and needless to say those little holes are much, much, larger now.

3. i always skip the first and take the second. for example, when getting a cup for a fountain drink or a gallon of milk from the shelf, i remove the first one, take the second, and put the first one back.

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4. i sometimes secretly wish i lived on a large farm out in the middle of nowhere

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5. i am in a constant mental battle with myself between spending money and saving it. attempting to save it usually wins which creates the worry that i am missing out on something or some place.

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6. when i was little i always played with my uncle's crutches and put paper clips across my teeth, ridiculously wishing i would one day have my own crutches and real braces. both of which i eventually had, and hated.

7. i put lip gloss in my sister's hair brush.

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8. my biggest regret to date is giving up on soccer.

9. i want to compete in mtv's the challenge, and kick ass.

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10. growing up i always wanted my name to be jennifer, and for people to affectionately call me jen.

what are your 10 secrets?

beautifully imperfect

i had a good cry today, at my desk, during my lunch break. this isn't the first time this has happened.
there are rare days in which i am the only one in the office during lunch. on these days i get the opportunity to explore the blog world while at work. often times tears appear as i read some of my favorite, most sentimental, writers.
today, kind over matter presented a beautiful video and quote.
it got to me. visit kind over matter to view the video, it will make you want to go hug someone you love.

"you come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly"

~Sam Keen

my weekend picture book

here is the story of my weekend, in pictures.
we stayed in on friday. the husband had to work all weekend. staying in meant we were able to enjoy a dinner of the freshest of vegetables straight from our garden.
these huge zucchinis were hiding beneath their large leaves, and were thoroughly enjoyed once found.


we also found that our watermelon vine is currently growing the cutest little melon!

i woke up bright and early saturday to get in an a.m. yoga class and followed it up by walking over to our neighborhood market. it was there that i found, and purchased, the most wonderfully scented lavender lotion.

my sister took her oldest on a date to the movies and left me and this precious guy to our own. we cuddled, talked, watched a world cup game and had a photo shoot.

oh, and "he" found the cutest outfit to wear.

we went to dinner with one of my besties at her & her husband's pizza joint where it just so happens that another of my besties works.

as usual we found ourselves enjoying the best bbq chicken pizza in town!

in these parts we are pretty excited about a neighborhood beer garden that is soon to open. on sunday we enjoyed an open-house at 'goodfriends beer garden' where we found free beer and neighborhood friends.



needless to say it was quite an enjoyable summer weekend!

published

exciting news:

D Home Magazine chose to spotlight my father and our company in their latest issue!
over the past month D Magazine has contacted us, asking my dad numerous intriguing questions and explaining their concept for a photo shoot.
my dad spoke expertly of his years of working, and proudly of his family for carrying on the business. i was again reminded of how important my job is and of the passion i have for it. we have seen plenty ups and downs over the years, but continuing and succeeding in carrying on a family's vision and upholding such standards is truly something to be proud of.

D Magazine challenged my father to paint a shirt to match a wall finish.

here is the before:

and after:

excerpts:
D Home: Martin Brothers Painting was the Rolls-Royce of painting companies in Dallas for a long time. When did it start?
Barry Martin: My father J.C. and his brother Lester started the company in 1949. I became a partner and purchased Barry A. Martin Painting Contractors in 1996.
D Home: Is Barry A. Martin Painting still a family affair?
Barry Martin: More than ever. My mother and father still come to the office every day, and both my daughters and son-in-laws are involved in the business. It's all hands on deck!

so proud!

laugh often, love much

"I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person." -Audrey Hepburn

i love to laugh.
one of my best friends, says she likes telling me her 'stories' because i always laugh. (to my credit, she is a pretty funny lady) And she is right, i laugh at her jokes, i laugh at lots of things.

laughing makes your insides feel good.




i think laughing is the audible expression of you soul's happiness.

and, the laughter of a child may be the best sound on earth.

http://youtu.be/cXXm696UbKY

kimbirdy over at fill you well shares my enthusium for laughing, check her out http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=">here

south-bound

this weekend we are headed south on i-35 and stopping in austin, tx! we have spent quite a few weekends in the eclectic city over the years, but for some reason haven't visited recently. so, when marli asked if we wanted to join them we for a little get-a-way we couldn't say no.

i am looking forward to spending a lot of time in the sun:

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celebrating a night on the town

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and strolling the street shops.

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*there's no place quite like austin!*
~i hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

stealing from two of my favorites!

A) age: 27

B) bed size: king

C) chore you hate: folding laundry

D) dogs: yep, two; dirk & bella

E) essential start to your day: a cup or two of coffee

F) favorite color: i instinctively say green, which is true i suppose, but i sure do love all the wonderful shades of blue

G) gold or silver: i wear more silver, but love gold and wish i had an equal supply of both

H) height: 5'2

I) instruments you play: some would say i play a mean fiddle (or at least i did when i was 8)

J) job title: office manager

K) kids: yes, please

L) live: dallas, texas

M) mom's name: terri

N) nicknames: chels, choo

O) overnight hospital stays: luckily i've only had day surgeries

P) pet peeve: mouth noises!

Q) quote from a movie: "nobody puts baby in the corner" -dirty dancing. you know you love it too!

R) righty or lefty: lefty

S) siblings: one pretty sister

T) time you wake up: weekdays; 5:47 am, weekdays with morning workouts; 5:07, weekends; variable

U) underwear: a must

V) vegetables you dislike: brussel sprouts

W) what makes you run late: deciding what to wear

X) x-rays you've had: arm, ankle, knee, teeth

Y) yummy food you make: i can make a pretty good turkey meatloaf

Z) zoo animal favorite: monkeys

*questionnaire stolen from two of my besties, check them out here and here*

what are your a-z's?

personality

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my trainer always says 'her personality lies in the bottom of a pint, or a coffee cup.'
i'm right there with her today.
it's overcast and cool (for may in texas) and i would like nothing more than to spend the day silently reading on my patio.

but, since i'm already at work, i suppose starbucks will have to do.

lets catch up

well, it has been a while since i have engulfed myself in the blog world, and boy have i missed it. i was quite overwhelmed for a while there, as any of you who read this little story of mine know, and although things haven't necessarily calmed down, i do feel like i've gotten my groove back (if you will). i have regained some positivity at work, i have found my stamina, and the consistency of my physical activity has returned.
for that, i feel good.
i think the best way to catch up with you all is to give you a little picture story of the important going-ons i have failed to post recently.
a while back i shared my 27th birthday celebration with my beautiful friend marli. we are birthday twins. well, not exactly twins, she is younger and her birthday actually falls a day after mine, but for the past 5 years consecutively we have celebrated our special day together. for that, i am grateful.

this is us showing off our sweet presents

i officially became an aunt all over again. my sweet sister had her second sweet baby boy. i have gotten the chance to spend time holding this precious little guy, listening to his baby coo's, and smelling is wonderful baby scent. for that, i am lucky.



and, i can't forget to mention that my beloved mavericks have advanced themselves along in the nba playoffs. we have had lots of fun watching them make their way to the western conference finals, with the the sweetest victory being a sweep of the ever dominant and overly confident la lakers. for that, i am happy.
we've also had a few watching parties

and celebratory after parties

now i'm off to catch up on all your lovely blog posts, and i hope to find you doing well.