A Jenn Adventure: 2011 Christmas Crafts!

I was going to do one final blog before the end of 2011 and it didn't happen.  I started it but then never opened my computer again to finish.  Heh...  such is life.  ;-)

Anyway, here are some bits and pieces from that post.  Mainly, I just wanted to share some crafty stuff I had worked on for Christmas.  So....

For Christmas, my sis asked me to make some hair clips for her nieces.  I didn't post them on Twitter or FB b/c I'm friends with my sister's sis-in-law.  I didn't want to ruin the surprise!  And then... I forgot.  But now, I'm crazy excited about them again so here they are!!!

Grayce

Olive

Eilea

Pretty cute, huh?  I'm so stinkin' proud of those hair clips!  They were a ton of fun to make too.  If you need/want one, let me know!  


Other crafts, I knitted a lot of dish rags for family this year.  Wait, scratch that, I intended to knit a lot for family but really I only made 4.  I still have some I need to make...  I lurve knitting.  I like how I can knit and pay attention to other things at the same time.  As long as I'm not drunk knitting, things turn out great!  ;-)  


And I have no idea what's going on with the spacing of this post!  I think the pictures are wiggin' it out.  ;-)  Happy 2012 Crafting!


xoxo,
~jennifree

A Jenn Adventure: Playing Catch-Up

Hi!  Hello!  Good Morning!!!

It's a catch-up day.  At least for blogging it is.  I've left you all unattended for a few weeks and I see you've gone nutzo without me.  It's ok... it happens.  ;-)  So, as I sit here and drink a scrumptious smoothie courtesy of my hip bro-in-law while G-Man snoozes, I'll fill you in, as quickly as possible, on what's been up!  And what's been down... if there is any.  

First, THANKSGIVING!  We had a great Freeman/Hayden Thanksgiving.  A set of parental units were here, lunch was awesome, and dessert was sweeeeeeeet!  So all in all... excellent Thanksgiving!  We ate too much and enjoyed our family and all that jazz.  Pictures of our desserts follow.  Yep, I made them!  Did you expect anything less?!?  

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Pumpkin Cheesecake

End of school... Weeeeee!!!  Those last two weeks were rough though.  Projects, finals, assignments out the wazoo.  But I made it!  And just in time.  I was starting to get seriously burned out.  Needed a massive break from school.  Besides, I have tons of Christmas prezzies I'm making this year and it was killing me that I couldn't work on them.  Anyway, grades haven't been posted yet but it should be another semester of A's.  I like to keep up with my grades as I go but especially at the end of the semester.  When there are tons of projects and finals to take it's helpful to know just what I need to make in order to keep my A.  Slightly lazy?  Maybe... Extremely smart?  Yes!  This way I know where I need to concentrate the most.  Luckily, I only needed 60's or less on all my final tests and projects.  It pays to work hard the first 3/4ths of the semester!  ;-)  There are some pics of things I made this semester below.  I have more but they are on my old phone and I can't get them off right now... 

Blackberry Bavarian Pastry

Choco Bread Pudding w/Mousseline Sauce

Show Cake!
The "cake" is styrofoam.

Speaking of phones... I've made it to the "here-and-now"!  I am now a proud owner of an iPhone 4S.  She's pretty!  White with a white and pink case.  I'd take a pic but that would mean finding my actual, real camera.  Ha!  I'm lovin' Siri.  She's got such a great sense of humor.  *snicker snicker*  This is my first "smart" phone and the salesman was quite nice.  Thankfully, he was not annoyed by my antics and played along.  I had a hard time deciding between an Android and an iPhone.  But in the end, iPhone it was.  At one point, he even told my phone had gone next door to Chipotle to get a burrito.  I was too busy talking with Mom to realize he had left the counter, so I was slightly confused.  But after I realized he was no longer holding my new piece of equipment I laughed.  Funny guy. 

Lastly, I spent the weekend in ETX "catering" a dessert party for my mom and stepdad.  Even though I spent Friday night and ALL of Saturday baking and creating, it was a TON of fun.  And I had fun at the party as well.  It was a work party for my stepdad and I know many of the people he works with and their spouses.  They are all like second families to me.  I hadn't seen them in so long.  It was nice to just sit and chat!  Anyway, on to the pics.  I know that's really what you want to see anyway...

Chocolate Peppermint Roll Cake

Mini Christmas Tree Cheesecakes

Chocolate Caramel Boxes

Truffles!!  Coconut, Pecan, and Plain

I think that pretty much wraps up what I've been up to... for the  most part.  ;-)  I hear a little man so it's time for a mid morning snack and play time!!!  And nope, I did not buy him this shirt... for once.  But it sure does look good on him!  

G-Money

xoxo,  
jennifree

A Jenn Adventure: Things I'm Thankful For

Inspired by a friend's blog (Thanks, Chris!), I decided I should do a special "What I'm Thankful For" blog.  There's nothing "deep" in this post.  No revelations.  Just a simple list of things I'm thankful for.  Some are serious, some are silly but all are things I am thankful to have.  And because I am watching the Texas/A&M game I should say, some of these I had intended to put more thought into.  However, it's hard to thoughtfully blog and watch football at the same time.  ;-)

Things I'm Thankful For:

1.  Family.

I'm pretty fond of my family.  We have our quirks and our crazies but they are my family and they are always here when I need them, no matter the need.  I'm especially thankful for this guy:

Have I mentioned lately how awesome he is?  ;-)  Anyway, I never knew how lucky I was or how good I had it until I went to college.  Listening to other people talk about their immediate and and extended families, I began to realize I had something special.  We are all very close and we care a lot about each other... sometimes maybe a little too much but I'll take too much over too little any day.  I'm thankful for my family.

2.  Friends.

I have a pretty great group of friends.  I've always been the type of person who has less friends but deeper relationships with those people.  I like it that way.  And I'm incredibly grateful for each and every one of them.  Just like family, they are there when I need them.  They are fun, caring, talkative but quiet, silly but serious, crafty, intelligent, snarky, selfless... they dream up things like glitter cannons and accept people for what they are.  I love them, love them, love them.  I'm thankful for my friends.

3.  Pets.
Specifically, my pets.  I love my girls.  That's 100% apparent.  I wonder how people without pets cope.  Granted, I am single and live alone but still, pets have always been a part of my life and I can't imagine a day without them.  Ok, so I can imagine a day without them... I had several days in a row in college where I was not allowed a pet but you know what I mean.  You learn soooo much from having a pet.  There's the obvious "responsibility" lesson but it's so much more than that.  My girls have taught me patience, how to laugh at things that really aren't funny, how to laugh at things that are hysterical, how to ignore, how to clean black curtains, to find the fun in every little thing, how to snuggle, how to care, but most importantly... how to love unconditionally.  I know, technically, my parents taught me all of this stuff but having pets allowed me to practice it all, especially the curtain cleaning thing, and so much more.  I can make mistake after mistake with these girls and they will always love me in their little kitteh way.  And they can make mistake after mistake and I will always love them in my own little human way.  I'm thankful for pets.

4.  AC.
I'm hot.  All the time.  And I don't mean "h-o-t-t" hot, I mean my body temperature has to run at an abnormally high number because when most people are chilled I'm borderline sweaty.  *shrugs shoulders*  It's always been this way with me but as I've gotten older I've become more and more aware of it.  It's annoying.  And here I am in Texas where we have no water and 110 degree days 9 months out of the year.  Talk about annoying.  I dream of snow and 45 degree days on a daily basis.  Anyway, the point is, AC is NOT wasted on me.  I am thankful every day that I have a working AC with a digital thermostat.  Don't get me wrong, I love being outside and I totally miss the days of working as a "farm-hand" that one summer.  I love me some manual labor but I also love to come home to an "as cool as I want it" apt (which is usually around 74 degree, or less, when I'm home).  I'm thankful for AC.

5.  Fiction Books.

Being a librarian at heart, it's understandable that I'm thankful for books but I'm really thankful for fiction books. I've always been a reader but I read for entertainment.  I read to find myself in another world, another time, another emotion, another anything.  I love stories.  I love being able to imagine the story in my mind and dream up what the characters look like and how their voices sound.  Though, I've grown with the times and enjoy reading on my Kindle and listening to audio books I still enjoy the feel of the pages, the crack of the spine, the smell of a good book.  I'm thankful for fiction books.

6.  Running Shoes.

Like I've said before, I'm not a runner.  But I do enjoy running... especially when it's cold... and raining... and at night.  The feel of the shoes on my feet, the sound of the pat, pat, pat on the pavement.  The escape they give me from... well, life.  There's no need for thinking.  There's no need for analyzing.  Just run.  Just breathe.  Just be.  I'm thankful for my running shoes.   

7.  Pandora.
I'm not sure how I functioned before Pandora.  I lurve Pandora.  I love the Cake station, and the Jack Ingram station, and the Louis Armstrong station, and I could go on and on and on...  New music, old music, different music... it's all there!  Pandora = awesome.  Enough said.  I'm thankful for pandora.

8.  My iPod.
I have an iPod Touch and it's the best thing since sliced bread.  The music, the apps, the internet access... pandora... ;-)  I don't have a lot to say about my iPod... I'm just really happy I have it!  iPod, you are a convenience I'm thankful for.

9.  Fireplaces

I adore a cold night with a lit fireplace.  It's warm and cozy and safe.  I could curl up with a pillow and blanket in a big comfy chair and just stare at the flames.  So many winter nights at my Daddy's house were spent that way.  Long after the rest of the house had gone to bed, I was camped out in front of the fireplace, cuddled up reading a book.  Safe, safe, safe... I'm thankful for fireplaces.

10.  The Me I Used to Be.

Again, stolen from Chris' blog but it's so totally true.  Without the Me I Used to Be I wouldn't be the Me I Am Today.  I used to be very quiet.  I never spoke up.  I wasn't very sure of myself.  Which is all very funny because if you talked to anyone from when I was younger, I'm pretty sure they would say the compete opposite.  However, now I'm the exact opposite of what I used to be.  I'm striving for something in between.  Something a little less outspoken but not silent.  A little less emotional but not emotionless.  Just a better person.  A better Jenn.  The Me I Want to Be.  But in the meantime, I'm thankful for the Me I Used to Be.

A Lily Adventure: Rediscovering Old Toys

I caught Lily chasing her tail the other morning at, like, 3 a.m. She was on top of my printer running around in circles. This is a funny and very impressive thing...

For starters, I haven't seen her chase her tail in ages. I guess she's rediscovered it because I've caught her chasing her tail at least 3 other times since the printer incident. Like I said in the beginning, it is by far the coolest toy she has... Anyway, it was funny to see her doing this again. It was not so funny that it was 3 a.m.-ish.

Secondly, did I mention she was on top of the printer/scanner?

Printer/Scanner/Copier...

She's literally the size of the printer! Let me show you...

How in the world she was able to chase her tail and stay on top of that thing is beyond me. Yes, technically, she is a cat but have you met her??? Have read any other posts on this blog??? Exhibit A: Mom needs a new phone. There is nothing cat-like or graceful about any of Lily's movements. I swear she's something of a SkippyJon Jones in that she thinks she's a dog. Really, I think she thinks she's a dog. Needless to say, it was impressive she was able to stay on top of the printer the entire time.

Since then, I've also caught her chasing her tail on top of the Nintendo game bin... Yeah, Nintendo game bin. What? I was a kid of the 80's!

She's also chased her tail on top of me at 6 a.m... she was soon relocated to the floor when that fun started. Anyway, I'm glad she's rediscovered a cherished toy. She may be an adult but it's nice to see her kitten self appear again... even if it's at 3 a.m.

A Jenn Adventure: Changes, they are a plenty!

Hellooooooooooooooo, Party People!!! Uh huh... I know... we can address my uncharacteristically quietness later. Right now, it's time for an update so let's just get down to business, shall we?

Top 5 changes in 2011:

1. I quit my job. Yeah, I said it. I QUIT my job. We won't discuss exactly why I quit, but I will say, I wasn't happy anymore. I loved the job, itself, and the majority of the people I worked with but there were certain things I just couldn't handle anymore. I had become a very angry, jaded, and bitter person. I'm not an angry, jaded, or bitter person. So, after 6 professional years, 2 years as an intern, and 1 year as a volunteer... I hightailed it outta there! I sound happy about that. My soul is very happy but when I think about it (and I try not to) it makes me very sad...

2. I got a new job! I hang out with THIS DUDE...

... all day long! It's awesome. He's such a stinkin' happy baby. I lucked out. For those that don't know, G is my nephew and he's awesome. Seriously... he's AWESOME!! We read stories and play and go to storytime and send Mom pictures of our cuteness and sit outside to watch the wildlife and sing songs and count our fingers and much, much, more. Yes, I let him nap too! He's a cool little dude and I love being able to watch him grow. I wish his momma could stay home with him like this but I'm also super glad I get to spend so much time with him. People say my sister is lucky that her precious boy gets to stay home with family instead of going to daycare but really... I'm the lucky one.

3. I moved! That's not that big of a deal. I tend to move quite a bit. However, I was in my last apt for about 3 years... that's pretty good for me! Anyway, the girls and I moved from south Austin to north Austin and I love it. I'm conveniently located 5-10 minutes from my "new" place of employment. I did it on purpose. Mainly because I knew that the fam would be visiting at least once a month to see G-Man and I had no desire to spend that much time in my car in one weekend in Austin. But let me be clear... had management not raised my rent, I wouldn't have moved. Moving is a female dog. I don't just move to move anymore. That was a college thing... Anyway, I (heart) my new apartment. It's old and cute and in an AWESOME neighborhood. I can go running at 11 p.m. and not have to worry about getting jumped. In fact, I left my car window rolled down the other night with my Maui Jim sunglasses in the front seat and they were STILL there they next morning. And my car insurance went down. Woot!

4. I started running. I know, some of you are saying, "Jenn, you are already a runner... You are a triathlete!" First, I hope you are using those terms, "runner" and "triathlete" very loosely. I was never a "runner" and I never called myself a "triathlete". I just went running because no one was forcing me too and I could walk whenever I darnwell felt like it. And if I chose to NOT run up that hill I could give that hill the finger and turn around! And I do triathlons for FUN. I compete with myself and myself only. But at some point, life happened and I fell off the wagon... hard. Like rock bottom hard. I stopped running, I stopped biking, I stopped swimming, I stopped going to the gym, I stopped Hula-ing, I stopped everything but work, class, work, class, and laying on my couch. For the past 5 weeks, I've been running 3 days a week. And 2 weeks ago I started back with Hula once a week. Next week... the GYM and some WEIGHTS!!!. Soon I'll need to add back in my bike and swim workouts. In 2012, I will get back to triathlons.

5. I have my soul back. For the first time, in a long time, I'm happy. I'm still trying to get my lost life back but I'm getting there. Slowly, but surely.

Top 3 Things I Want to Change Before 11:59 p.m. on December 31st, 2011:

1. Apparently, I'm a "once a year" blogger. I want to start blogging regularly so I'm shooting for once week. If nothing else, I will blog once a month.

2. I will not quit working out. I tend to do really well at working out for a while and then sort of stop. No more.

3. I will finish craft projects. I have about 3 projects I've started and walked away from that I desperately want to finish. I. Will. Finish.

Considering there's not a lot of time left in 2011, I don't want to over do it. I think these three things are sufficient. ;-) I promise I will "see" you all again next week, if not sooner. Posts don't have to be crazy long or epic entries... at least this is what I'm reminding myself so I'll continue this. And how about one more sweet, sweet picture of my little friend?

xoxo,

jennifree

A Jenn Adventure: Favorite Song Mash-Up

Yes, I know. It’s been ages since I’ve posted to House of Von Cotton. (Do I start every post like that??? Um, probably.) The girls and I have been extremely busy. Lily has been an adorable little menace. Abby has been trying to ignore her and I… well, I’ve been working, taking classes, working, training for tri season, working, working, and did I mention working? Tonight I’m also doing a little baking and while my chocolate cake is in the oven I decided it was time to do some writing.

A while back I had this idea for a little writing experiment. I wanted to take some of my current favorite songs, pull the lines that spoke to me, and mash them up into something new without adding any extra words. I must say, this turned out rather interesting. In the beginning, I thought I would be able to nail down one feeling or emotion to convey but, of course, that didn’t happen and it ended up something totally different. As I was pulling lines, I realized I had a kind of menagerie of emotions spilling out from the songs I was using. Frankly, I was surprised at how this turned out. It did not end up being what I expected. But I had a lot of fun, though. I’m definitely going to have to try it again sometime.

Anyway, I’ve included it below. Don’t read too much into it. Nine times out of ten, when I use words to create something, it has an aura of twisted/torn/dark/yearning/etc -ness. *shrugs shoulders* My inner Jenn must be a little dark & twisty. ;-) I did hang out with some old friends recently and I'm sure that spurred some of this. Memory Lane has been pretty heavy in my heart lately.

Special thanks to: Bob Schneider (40 Dogs), The Temper Trap (Sweet Disposition), Phoenix (Lisztomania), Miley Cyrus (Can’t Be Tamed), Ke$ha (Your Love Is My Drug), OneRepublic (All the Right Moves), Neon Trees (Animal), Franz Ferdinand (No You Girls), and Metric (Gold Guns Girls). Your songs rock and I’m sure your socks do too.



Head vs. Heart

Is it ever gonna be enough?
I remember when we we're gambling to win, everybody else said better luck next time.

I'm like a puzzle but all of my pieces are jagged.
I’ve been looking for something else.
I wanna be a part of something.
I don’t know; a moment, a love, a dream, a laugh, a kiss, a cry.

Let's paint the picture of the perfect place.
Like good times that haven’t happened yet but will.
Between the noise you hear, and the sounds you like, what are we waitin' for?
This is show time.

I kinda wanna be more than friends.
Too late, she’ll be late, too late.
I'm afraid you're never satisfied and I'm afraid I won’t get out alive.
Follow. Misguide. Stand still. Discuss. Discourage.
I wanna run and hide.
I do it every time.
Is it ever gonna be enough?

Do I make your heart beat?
Sometimes you remind me of a moonbeam.
Am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?
Sometimes I think the stupidest things.
I know I could never be your love, your love, your love.

All the choices in the world, is it ever gonna be enough?
No, I gotta be someone else.
I can't, won't stop to surrender.
So, take it easy on me.
I’m wired a different way.
I'm not a mistake, I'm not a fake.
Why can't you understand?

Do you never wonder?
Because I never wonder…
It's us that made this mess.
It's gettin heavier and I wanna run and hide.
Say goodbye to my heart tonight.

A Lily Adventure: It's all about the TP

I know, it's been ages. Really I've been waiting for Abby to have an adventure but I think she feels she is too mature and sophisticated for such things. So, this truly might become a Lily-blog.

Speaking of Lily... she's in East Texas (fondly known as "E.T.") staying with Grammy & Grampy. She needed a "tummy tuck" & you wouldn't believe how expensive that is in Austin! So, we went home last weekend for a triathlon for Mom and an extended stay with the grandparents for Lily. What's funny is I thought, "I love my kitten but she's crazy. This will give me and Abby some much needed bonding time." 48 hours after returning to Austin sans-Lily I realized, "Wow... it's really quiet & calm around here... I kind of don't like it..."

Needless to say, though Abby has probably thoroughly enjoyed not having her little sis around, I have missed Lily incredibly. I was so upset yesterday when I realized she would have to stay until next weekend for a check up appointment I was on the verge of driving home (4.5 hours) for the weekend just so I could see her & then driving back again the following weekend. That would have been 3 weekends in a row! (I went for a run last night with my sister and came to my senses. I nixed that idea and have opted to wait until next weekend. I'm officially a mom even if it is only to cats because that was definitely a crazy parent decision I almost went with.)

Anyway, I thought tonight I would discuss Lily's extreme fondness of the toilet. I'm not entirely sure why she's soooooo enamored with the toilet but she is. She loooooves to put stuff in the toilet. Her toys. Peppermints (that's a story all in itself). My phone... oh yeah, you already know that one. ;-)

One night I was brushing my teeth before bed and Lily was playing with one of her toys. Actually, I'm pretty sure it was originally Abby's but like everything else in the apartment it now belongs to Lily. Anyway, she's playing, playing, playing and all of a sudden I hear, "Kerplunk." I stop brushing and say, "You did not just... Lily!" And what do you know, she's got her cute little front paws on the edge of the toilet seat and her little head stuck over in the toilet... watching her toy bob up-and-down in the water. "Really, Lily? Did your toy really need to go in there???" If only I had a quarter for every time I've said that phrase... "Really, Lily? Did your blah-blah-blah really need to go in the toilet???" However, I laugh pretty hard every time it happens. I can't seem to get a picture of her with her little head over in the toilet but that's the really funny part. She's totally fascinated by the bobbing whatever it is she's just put in the water. And if I let her, she'll continue to play with whatever she's put in there. Sometimes she'll retrieve it and sometimes, the next morning, I'll find cat toys in the toilet. Once again, another reason I need to keep the lid closed...

There's also something about toilet paper that is fascinating. I would say she just likes to spin the roll on the roller but it's more than that. It's the TP itself. I can't let her "play" in the linen closet where I keep the TP or she will eat it. No, seriously... she'll eat it. And if she gets bored during the day, not only will she unroll the TP but she'll chew up the roll first and THEN unroll it. How do I know she eats it first? Because if you stretched the TP out in a straight line you would see that evenly spaced are sections missing... like so...

She does enjoy just spinning the TP on the roller, though. It's great fun, especially when I forget to turn the roll around so it won't unroll. I kid you not, she unrolled an entire brand new roll of TP once.

She's always very proud of these unrolling achievements. So proud, she shows them to me...

I tried taking the extra litter box out but by this time she had figured out that the bathroom was a playroom and it was too late. I flipped the roll but she does occasionally make her own fun out of eating the TP when it won't unroll for her. "I punish you.... I will eat you!"

She's an odd duck but I'll tell ya what... I love her to pieces. I miss her like crazy right now. I know she's in good, loving hands but that doesn't make it any easier to be without her.

She's my Lilypad! My Lil'Bit. My Punkin. My CrazyLady. My "What are you doing?!?!?"

Lily... Mom really misses you.