Blog Challenge: Day 4

 Doing zero better with timely posts.  :/  Today's Blog Challenge post is about my parents!

These are my parents with me at my 30th birthday party:

And my mom at my wedding:

They are both just wonderful - my mom is a very sweet lady, and I have loads of fun memories with her.  Like when I was obsessed with acting out television commercials and she would oblige me and play the non-starring roles.  And how she drove me around to sell Girl Scout cookies, come hell or high water.  (I did sell enough to pay most of my way to GS Camp, so it was totally worth it!).  She's loud and super talkative and my most favorite thing to do is to make her laugh so hard she can't talk or breathe - it's HILARIOUS because she still tries to talk through sobs of laughter and it sounds like gibberish!)  She truly is a nice nice person-she will do anything ANYTHING for me and I probably don't tell her enough that I appreciate her.  But I do.  I LOVE YOU, MOM!!!  :)

Usually, she is behind the camera snapping the pics, but I have a few of her too!

Here we are with my sweet Mama at a luau in Hawaii.

And on my wedding day:

Come to think of it, I have lots of pics of me and my mom, it's my dad that rarely makes a photo appearance.  Here's another of he and I at my birthday:

He's great too.  Super laid-back, loves outdoorsy things like fishing and grilling out.  He is always quick to lend a hand (thanks for helping us move last year, for example! And in and out of the sorority house!  And each apartment I lived in! He could be a professional mover - ha!)  He generally is a pretty quiet guy, but has the warmest laugh - it's contagious!  :)  LOVE YOU DAD!

And although it's a parental blog post, I also have a little bro who's pretty great and deserves a mention:

  Hi Matty!

And here we are at the Black Eyed Peas / U2 concert in Norman a few years ago:

And of course, the rest of my family, my lovely second set of parents - the Tupps!  Here are all 4 of my parents:

The ladies:

Me and my MaMa - see my mom on the right getting her camera ready?  Told you!

Ryan and MaMa

In this pic from Mother's Day, you can totally see my mom cracking up - her eyes practically close and she just laughs and laughs.  Hehehehe!

LOVE MY PARENTS!

Blog Challenge: Day 3

Well, apparently I'm working the 90-120 day blog challenge at this rate.

Today's topic: My first love.

I wish I had a picture of her, but I do not.  Pics from the early 80's are not easy to come by, it turns out.

But my first love was born in Alabama, in a house across the street from where my Aunt Bessie lived.  Oh, I just loved Aunt Bessie - she was little bitty, and cute, and she had a porch swing.  Perfect, in the mind of a 5 year old.  

But back to my first love.  I crawled around on this floor, peeking into a cabinet, where a momma cat was hiding her little kittens.  My parents let me have one, which I promptly named Cupcake!  I loved Cupcake. She lived with us in Mississippi and eventually had a few litters of her own kittens,  a few of which I loved dearly.  But Cupcake was my very very first love!  She was gray and white, kind of like this:

And it was one of her babies that became my BFF - his name was Cinnamon.

He kinda looked like this - only with more brown instead of all the white on his back leg.  He was a gem - he'd let me and my brother carry him around our necks, like a scarf.  He was also enormous - a huge tom cat that fought with other cats during the night (loudly) and loved on us during the day.

And his littermate was my bro's fave cat: Flour or Flower - there's a debate today over his correct name.  I say it's Flour to go with all the cooking and pastry names, and others think it's Flower like from Bambi. Who knows?  My 2 year old brother named him!

He looked something like this:

Flower had a short temper.  And that's about all I have to say about him - HA!

And now I'm deathly allergic to cats - and I'm now a dog person!

Blog Challenge: Day 2!

Okay, after the day off yesterday from blogging (I DID have to drive to the Texas state line to see Steely Dan play at Winstar Casino last night, so that's my excuse), I am back for Day 2 of the Blog Challenge.

Today's task is to name something I'd like to do before I die.

My answer: Step foot on all 7 continents!

Here is where I have been:

1.  North America (duh).  This is where I call home!

2. Africa.  In 2004, Ryan and I got to visit South Africa for the launch of a new motorcycle (one of the major perks of running the dealership, for sure!)

3.  Europe.  Been a few times to a few different places, most recently in 2007 to Milan for the EICMA show (another motorcycle event) and a little vacation in Bologna.

4.  Asia.  Ryan had already been to this continent (Russia), so I caught back up - ha!  We went to Vietnam and Japan in March 2011 - it was awesome (and sweltering)!

Those are my have-dones.

Now for the to-do list:

1.  South America.  I've planned (in my head) many trips to South America, but I think it will come true in 2014.  My kooky husband wants to go to the World Cup in Brazil - and I am ALL about it!  But someday, I also hope to see Machu Picchu and the Galapagos (in one trip - that's totally doable!)

2.  Australia.  Hopefully we can see the land down under by cruise ship, because I am DYING to see the South Pacific - Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Samoa, etc. and there are many decently affordable cruises leaving from Sydney going to these destinations.

And last, but not least...ANTARCTICA!  I am just SO pumped to visit someday.  Just to say I've been.  For no other reason.  Except maybe to visit the penguins.  And because you board your ship to get to Antarctica from South America.  So it's like a two-in-one!

That's my life's goal.  Fingers crossed I get to them all!!

Day 1 of the Blog Challenge

Haha!  Well, obviously I'm prompt, seeing as how 4 days have passed since I committed to the 30-day Blog Challenge.  Sigh.  I really do have the best intentions, I swear!  So maybe this will be more like the 40-45 day blog challenge, with 30 posts.  Ha!

Well, Day 1 is to introduce myself and provide 15 facts about myself, so here goes!

Hi, I'm Jenn!  This is me (any my husband):

I was born in Alabama and lived in Mississippi until I was in third grade - at that point my family moved to Oklahoma, where I still live.  I went to OU and OU Law, and now work for the family business.

Here are 15 things about me!

1.  I don't like watermelon

2. I love dogs, and would be a crazy dog hoarder if my husband would let me have more than one

3. I am obsessed with collecting things I don't use (For example, I have over 200 vintage James Avery charms and I'm always on the lookout for more, even though my 2 charm bracelets are bursting)

4.  I like thinking and scheming and planning (more so than doing)

5.  I am obsessed with making my yard beautiful  (I want to be the "good grass" house)

6.  I love swimming and am debating rejoining the Y so that I have pool access

7.  I feel like I'm a really fantastic driver, and that no one but me was properly taught how to drive.  (It feels that way, anyway)

8.  I cannot mask my feelings - you've heard of "heart on your sleeve", well that's me to a T.

9.  Love rainstorms, but am scared of thunder.  And fireworks.  And loud bangs in general.

10.  I'm a light sleeper, so I wake up about 1.3 billion times per night.  Unless the vent is on - with white noise I can sleep thru anything (except a loud thunderstorm)

11.  I'm a salty/savory person.  I do NOT have a sweet tooth.

12.  I've been to 4 continents and hope to visit all before I die.

13.  I struggle at times, but I try to remind myself that I have it pretty great!

14.  I've lived in Oklahoma for over 20 years now, and the only time I've seen a 'nader (knock on wood) was in Mississippi.  How strange!

15.  I love Akitas - I think I will always want to own one of this awesome breed of dogs.  And to leave you, a picture of my sweet Kiki dog.

This is when he was younger - now he spends most of his day like this:

Asleep!  :)

  

30 Day Blog Challenge

So I was reading this super cute blog, Truly Thompson, and stumbled across a post she did for a 30 day blog challenge.  I decided it sounded like a fun project, so I have decided to do one of my own!  The basic gist is that you blog every day for thirty days about random stuff.  Here is the schedule:

Day 1: Introduce, recent picture of yourself and 15 interesting facts
Day 2: Something you want to do before you die
Day 3: Your first love
Day 4: Your parents
Day 5: A song to match your mood
Day 6: A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7: Favorite movies
Day 8: A place you've travelled to
Day 9: A favorite picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 10: Something you're afraid of
Day 11: Favorite TV shows
Day 12: Something you don't leave the house without
Day 13: Something that means a lot to you
Day 14: A picture of you last year - how have you changed?
Day 15: Favorite pet
Day 16: Dream house
Day 17: Something you're looking forward to
Day 18: Favorite food
Day 19: Something you miss
Day 20: Picture that always makes you smile
Day 21: Favorite picture of yourself of all time.  Why?
Day 22: What's in your purse?
Day 23: Favorite singer/band/artist
Day 24: Something you've learned
Day 25: Picture of the place you'd love to visit most
Day 26: Your dream wedding
Day 27: Photo of the city you live in
Day 28: Pet peeves
Day 29: 3 wishes
Day 30: A picture of yourself this day and 5 good things that have happened since you started the challenge.

See you tomorrow for Day 1!