I'm melting! Melting!

Okay folks (to be honest, I hate the word folk. Say it. It feels like a piece chicken lodged in the back of your throat)Its time for the 2nd installment of,

 

Friends. My dear friends (said in the voice of John McCaine while waving his arms like a moron.). I have been dreaming of day like today for years. You hear me, YEARS! I did a photo shoot today on December 15th, in 75 degree weather. Did you hear me? 75 degree weather. Oh the happiness that filled my soul as I took my sweater off because I was getting sweaty. How joyful I was when I needed to turn the AC on in my car. This is a day that will be talked about for years to come. 

75 degree weather in December! Doesn't get better than this.

God bless Texas.

I took this picture while I was out on my shoot today... yes its true, we still have green grass and leaves on trees.

 

If ornaments could talk...

If this ornament could talk, I wonder what it would say? 

 

Would the first story he would tell be about a young couple 25 years ago who celebrated their first Christmas together snuggled under the glowing lights of their very first Christmas Tree?

 

Would this ornament remember the Christmas when a stupid cat name Shadow couldn't resist knocking down the Christmas tree, and almost setting the house on fire?

 

Im sure this ornament would burst with excitement as it told the story of the countless years a growing family laughed, sung, fought, played, cried, and prayed during the crazy month of December.

Without a doubt this ornament would tell the story of that Christmas 6 years ago when a family of five, who used to be six, snuggled under the glowing lights of the tree, not in joyous laughter but in reverence and heartache as their hearts yearned for the women who was everything to them.

I hope this ornament remembers last year's Christmas when my father solemnly passed this ornament, the last one left of my parents first Christmas together, down to me. Now it will hang atop my tree for Robbie and I to make Christmas memories of our very own.

FREE PHOTO SHOOT

{TRADE FULFILLED. THANK YOU!}

In the words of Fiddler on the Roof... 

Tradition, tradition! Tradition!
Tradition, tradition! Tradition!

ITS TRADITION!

Everyone has traditions in their families, and at Christmas it seems that families have LOTS of Tradition. Well for YEARS I have had a personal Christmas Tradition. Going to The Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Choir Concert!

This tradition of mine is EVERYTHING. Seriously. To me, it is what plants the spirit of Christmas in my heart not just for December, but all year long. I crave this concert 365 days of the year. I listen to each years past cd all year long. FOR REALS.

This year, I didn't get tickets:( SO SAD. With David Archaletta being the guest this year, it seems everyone applied for tickets. I LOVE David Archaletta, but for me this concert is not about him. Its about the choir.

So dear internet, I am here to make a PLEA with you...

I need 2 tickets to the Friday showing of Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert. In exchange, I will give you a FREE PHOTO SHOOT ($280 value) The free shoot can either happen in December or at the very end of February, or April when I will be coming back to Utah. Your choice!

Let me know if you are interested. jessyrae1030@gmail.com

Merry Christmas!

Don't be silly Toto, Scarecrows don't talk.

Hey y'all!!
Well 4 months livin' in the big D. And "y'all" is officially apart of daily talk. Y'all dig me? Sweet.

Being on our own in a new city/state is quite the adventure. And the differences between Dallas and Utah County are quite HI-larious. I am always finding treasures of new discoveries and differences. So in light of my new discoveries, I want to start a new series here on my blog called...

(Whenever this banner appears, it means I have found something completely different in Dallas than what I am used to seeing/experiencing in Utah County.

Got it?  Good.  Lets begin.)

This is what you see on every street corner in the U.C. 

(aka Utah County.  I just made that place so hip by abbreviating the word. I abbrev my words F.Y.)

 

And this is what you see in Dallas...

 

So these stores are not on every corner, but I am sure you can understand my shock when I saw these stores lurking around town. 

God Bless Texas.

BEST DAY OF MY LIFE

Today is a day for the history books! After 3 1/2 years of marriage, Robbie and I did it!!! Did what you ask?

WE GOT INTERNET!!!

It's time that we officially enter the 21st century. Someday when we get an Ipod and internet on our phones we will enter the cool club of the 21st century. But till then... I will enjoy internet at all times of the day.

I'm so happy I could cry! This is TRULY the best day of my life.

Grateful.

Thanksgiving. Its the kick off to my holiday season. Every year's kick off is relatively the same. It begins with waking up to the first sweet sounds of Christmas music (it's against my religion to listen to Christmas music any earlier) mixed in with sounds of laughing, and The Thanksgiving Day parade blaring in the background. When its time eat, the smells tickle my body with glorious anticipation. We eat. My dad expresses that this "IS THE BEST MEAL HE HAS EVER HAD." (We all roll our eyes at this declaration.)

After dinner, we sit around all day reading ads, watching football, making fun of whoever is making a fool of themselves at the time, and play games. When the night ends, I curl up in bed, with a smile pressed upon my lips and let the tryptophan take over.


This was NOT my Thanksgiving Day this year...

IT WAS BETTER.

Our Thanksgiving Day started on Wednesday with an experience I will never forget. We joined up with a local Realty Group in Dallas and helped with their annual "Feed the Homeless" project. That night, my life was forever changed. We met nine of Dallas' finest people and created 45 care packages that we were able to deliver that night to the Homeless in Downtown Dallas. When the care package went from my arms to arms of the recipient, a connection was made. A connection that we are all children of God. No matter our circumstances. Poor, wealthy, fat, skinny, black, white...
We are ALL children of God.

The smile that will make you shine

Ya know when you go to dentist to get your teeth clean, and you run your tongue over your newly shined pearly whites, and it they feel so slimy and smooth? OH! I just love it.

Well, you can have that feeling everyday with the Oral B 5000! Robbie and I have had our Oral B (the 4000 model) for a few years now and just LOVE it. We just got an Oral B 5000 as a gift, and since we already have one, we are wanting to sell it. The box has never been opened and includes: 1 handle, 1 smart guide, 1 charger, 1 base station, 2 flossaction brush heads, 1 sensitive brush head, 1 power tip brush head, 1 instructional DVD, and 1 travel case... WOW! That's a TON! It retails at around $115. Depending where you shop.

We are selling ours for $90.(includes shipping and tax)

If you are interested, shoot me an e-mail ASAP. It is a FABULOUS Christmas gift. I bought our tooth brush for Robbie as an anniversary gift, and he hasn't stopped thanking me:)

jessyrae1030@gmail.com!

Being Offended

I've been questioned if I have horns, wear long dresses all day, while having my hair look like a beehive, and people wondering if I am Robbie's only wife.

I have been asked "why" I don't drink alcohol, wait for marriage to have sex, why I choose to dress modestly(especially wondering why I don't wear bikinis), and why I don't drink coffee.

People have inquired of "Jo" Smith, the gold bible, and believing in such things as modern day prophets.

.....................


All these "questions" that people have asked me are issues of controversy. Such questions could take someone out of their comfort zone. It can be difficult sometimes to interpret whether people are asking questions out of mere curiosity, or if they are trying to criticize my religious views.

This video below is a good guide that can help anyone decide whether something should be taken as offensive.

Dennis Prager on being offended from Bobby Earle on Vimeo.

I STRONGLY, PASSIONATELY, believe asking questions and having different views is what makes the world a better place. There is nothing worse than when I have a question regarding someone's views about life but I can't ask them because I fear offending them.

Like the advice this video gives, "only be offended when malice was intended, not when a mistake(or in the case, curiosity) was made.

If anyone out there wonders anything about me or my beliefs, please don't ever hesitate to ask me. If you would like to contact me via e-mail, please know questions are ALWAYS welcomed! jessyrae1030@gmail.com

I Love To Laugh

(okay so i think this song is pretty annoying, but it goes GREAT with my thoughts today!)

Everyone has human needs, and one of mine is to L A U G H! I seriously love to laugh. And I usually laugh at most things... Whether someone just fell down the stairs, and landed hard on their butt, (that's my morbid side) or if your a man who carries a purse (even if they call it a sachel. psshh), or a HILARIOUS joke by my father-in-law. Laughing is 100% a human need of mine.

Since moving to Dallas our circle of friends is quite limited. Robbie has his books, and I have my laptop... Okay so I guess not much has changed. BUT with Bob studying 24/7, laughing at him or laughing while hanging out with friends isn't quite an option at the moment. So I have been getting my laughing drug from Hulu and Netflix (since we are ghetto and don't have T.V.). Here are the most recent T.V. shows that have made me deliriously happy lately, and have tickled my funny bone in the right place!

Number 4:

oh gosh. oh golly! This new show from NBC is cry-yourself-to-sleep-funny. WATCH IT OKAY!

Number 3:

For the last month I have been netflixing seasons of MONK, and watching them while I edit. Monk is not your typical "funny." This show is SUPER DRY and subtle with its humor. Which I LOVE. I am in season 4 right now, and they just keep getting better and better!

Number 2:

I had a REALLY hard time deciding which episode to put in my number 1 spot... But since Modern Family is only in its second season, I decided to make it number 2. Modern Family is quick whited, charming, HILARIOUS, and quite frankly I might have peed my pants watching an episode or two:) Also, I adore this show because Phil Dunphy reminds me of Robbie!

Number 1:

HEAVEN ABOVE this show was made for me! It's clean, it's soooooooo funny, the nicknames they come up with just floor me with their hilarious genius! It has the best theme song on T.V. It makes me dance a crazy jig every time... its quite the little dance I have going:) Everything about Psych makes me happy! And what makes me the most happy? The new season starts up again on Nov. 10th! HOLLA!

pieces.

My whole heart resides only one place. . . wherever Robbie Man is. But pieces of my heart are scattered throughout the world. Whether in Mexico where I was able to do humanitarian work, or in Nordstrom's with those Steve Madden boots my pocket book can't afford, or at my momma's grave. Pieces of my heart can be found all over the United States. . . In Adamondiahman, Disneyland, Vermont, Lake Powell, Kirkland, NYC, Austin, St. George, Port Orchard, my grandma's house, Nauvoo, the ocean... Any where a happy memory resides, is where pieces of my heart are.

A BIG CHUNK of my heart resides in little Orem, UT. In a small corner of this small city, lies the chunk. For three years, Robbie and I were privileged, blessed, and favored to live in the Stonewood ward boundaries. Here in this ward, I was called to be in Young Womens. To say it was the best calling in the world would be an understatement. My heart fell head-over-heals for every single girl in that program. Tonight, I sit here missing them. Terribly. I pray that I will never forget them, never forget their laughs, their faces, and the memories that were made. I love "my girls!"... and miss them.

And whether they know it or not... each of them hold a piece of my heart.

Im a big kid now!

Guess who turned...


. . . that would be. . .



ME!!!

Yesterday was my birthday, and oh boy was it G.R.A.N.D.
I woke up to balloons, confetti, a Naked(its a drink peeps), and a birthday sign made by yours truly... I know some may be saying, "You made your own birthday sign?" Well I wanted a cute sign, so I did it the night before while Robbie studied. Don't judge me. (all other birthday decor done my wonderful hubby)







All day I was pampered with kisses, clothes, fab food, hugs, presents!, and a night out on the TOOOOWWWN. To say I was spoiled, is an understatement. My Robbie is TOO good to me.


In honor of my 23 years of living... I decided to make a list...

23 things to-do in 23 years

1. Swim with Dolphins.
2. Attend the temple once a week for a whole year.
3. Go to Africa
4. Make my baby girls blessing dress from my mom's wedding dress.
5. Own a home! With LOTS of window's and beautiful molding... these 2 things are a must!
6. Overcome my addiction to sugar.
7. Continue to prepare myself to serve a mission with Robbie someday.
   
8. Start my humanitarian aid business.
   
9. Convince Robbie that Disneyland IS the happiest place on earth... this will take many many trips to convince such a cold hearted person:)
10. Adopt and/or Foster a child.
11. Get a wedding published in a major magazine.
12. Sit at one of my child's extracurricular activities and cheer for them till I loose my voice!
13. Do a temple session in the Rome Temple.
14. Write a book/dissertation on the similarities between Les Miserable and God's plan of Justice vs. Mercy.
15. Photograph a wedding in Hawaii. (hint hint future clients)
16. Become an AMAZING cook... the kind that brings all my kid's friends to our house to eat scrumptious food.
    
17. Go shopping for one whole day, with no money limit, and buy WHATEVER I WANT - yeah, this won't happen for a LOOONNG time.
    
18. Go to Lithuania when Robbie graduates.
19. Buy a families entire Christmas one year. Including food, clothes, toys, and a cherry on top!
20. Find a picture perfect field of wild flowers, knotty trees, blue skies, and birds singing and stay there all day reading and frolicking in the field... yes, I just said frolick!
21. Give birth -- YIKES!(hopefully natural... thanks Jen for the encouragement!)
    
22. Have a time-share to Lake Powell. ah heaven!
23. Be a "soccer" mom!
    

Man, creating this list was SO MUCH FUN! What are some things you want to accomplish in your life?

loves.hugs.

jess

to you. love me.

remember that time when i was sick and you gave me kisses and told me i was beautiful? i do.

remember that one time i cried & cried about missing my momma & you just cuddled me, petted my head, and told me everything would be okay? i do.

remember that time i came home and was oh.so.very.exhausted and you forced me to lay down so you could give me a massage? i do.

remember that time when we got and married & i never did the dishes for like 3 years? i do.

remember that time i soo mad at nothing and just wanted scream, and you let me? i do.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

for years you have loved me, cherished me and brighten my life with your smile. thanks for all happy love!

good luck with your test, and the growing pains of dental school. I LOVE YOU!

confused.

so sometimes i pretend to have it all figured out. as in i KNOW EVERYTHING. but i don't know everything...

and tonight i feel like i know nothing. my heart is broken and for some reason puddles of water are resting in my eyelids. i am confused.... confused by the wickedness of the world. puzzled by the hatred of the hearts of many. dumbfounded by how quickly families are ending. disturbed by what is so easily tolerated today in movies, tv, and music.

why are these things happening??


WHY?



tonight i am simply confused.

i am stuck on band-aid brand...

so did any of your mom's ever tell you band-aids are not toys? well mine sure did! that is why when i was over come with the most dramatic and intense bug bite attack in human experience... i knew that each band-aid i was going to use must be used for only the most serious of situations.

break down of my night a few days ago:

12:00 am: cry myself to sleep (i exaggerate peeps.) cuz my feet are itching so dang bad.
12:41: wake up. smother my feet in anti itch cream
2:17: repeat.
4:12 repeat.
4:45: go to the bathroom
6:23: SO DANG MAD my feet won't stop itching. smother my feet AGAIN. take drastic measures and pull out the band-aids

(there are 11 band-aids on my feet)

at 6:30 in the morning i created my own remedy for bug bites by sticking anti itch cream on the back of the band-aid... and guess what?... IT TOTALLY WORKED!

i went back to sleep, and like a baby.... slept for 5 more uninterrupted hours.

giveaway.

feeling lucky?

click here!

*
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****
*****
*******
*********
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hurry up already!

giveaway.

torrential down pour

guess who got caught outside during this texas rain storm?



that would be me!


there was water EVERYWHERE! and it all happened in a matter of minutes!



that's a lot of water! geez

insignificant.

dallas population: 2,413,000. utah county population: 531,000.



fact: i have never felt so insignificant

fact: i love it! and can't wait to make my dent in the world...


. . .and by the world, i mean dallas.






view from the top of our apt.

skool is cool

I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight, I hope I don't get in a fight! Ohhhh, back to schooool! Back to schoooool! Back to schooool!-billy madison.


i feel like such a proud wifey! bob, for the last 2 weeks has been attending dental school! look how cute he was on his first day of school. . .



oh man that's a smile to make any women swoon:)

since starting kindergarten, this is the first semester that I have NEVER started school in the fall. its quite weird. there are some things that I definitely miss about it. the thing i miss most?

S C H O O L S H O P P I N G!

I think even though I am not starting school I should be entitled to a new fall wardrobe. all in agreement with me say "I"...

okay, cyber world, i can't really hear you. its okay. i know you support me:)

well, to all of you who started school,

GOOD LUCK!

and enjoy your new school clothes:)

guess what? I am alive! I have moved to Texas and have something I want to share!

I am so nervous... and super duper excited! If you have been following this blog, you know that I have a photography business. Bella Rae Photography. Well... time has come to retire Bella Rae Photography and introduce you to my new blog! new name! and new joy!

click here!

HURRRRRRRYYYY

bye bye...

hello...

These are a few of my NEW favorite things

Okay I have a legit question... Why would someone's favorite thing be "when the dog bites, or the bee stings?" REALLY?? That statement seems like a bold faced lie to me... Don't you agree?

Well I am about to share with you some of my most NEW favorite-st things. But don't worry... There is nothing absurd on here like bees stinging people...


1.... Have you had these squares of delicious goodness? NO? Go to your grocery store NOW and buy them. It is literally the perfect cereal. Not too sweet, and doesn't get soggy. mmm....

2.... Bare Minerals Bronzer. Want that sunkissed glow? Do yourself a favor and hook your pasty white skin up with this baby.


3.... Im obsessed with this book. I read (actually listened... its what I do when I am editing.) it about a month ago and I still think about it daily. Its quite interesting.


4. . This is a blog that I have fallen in LOVE with. Check it out. Click here.




What are some of your FAVORITE-ST things? I would love to know...

sandwiches.strawberries.and sun.

So I am sitting at school and I just asked Robbie what one word he would use to describe our marriage. Here's the breakdown of our convo:

bob: Uhh....

me: don't say something stupid.
bob: duh... I would say the word would be good.
me: good? thats it?
bob: no. how about interesting.
me: That's gay. Say something different.
bob: fine! fun... or happy... yeah our marriage is happy.

I think I might have tricked him into saying that:)


Here are some pics from our very first picnic of the season! YAY for warm weather.

Dandelions and Jake

Go back in time with me.. Like 12 years. That makes me 10, and Jake 8.

It was a warm spring afternoon. Jakey (his name when we were little) and I had been sitting in the car what seemed liked YEARS. It probably was more like 5 minutes while my dad took a mad dash to the bathroom. (he ALWAYS did that after we all buckled in and ready to go)

I decided to tell him a little white lie. I told him dandelions grew only in spots where dogs peed... Him, being my younger brother, obviously had an internal need to be smarter than me. After I said that he looked at me and said,

"Gosh Jessy, don't waste my time with stupid facts. Every one knows that."

After that I laughed in his face and told him I was lying and he was the stupid one... So maybe that was a little harsh. He cried. And I got in trouble:(

Every time I see a dandelion, that memories pops back in a head, a smile emerges to my face, I and think of him.









For over a year, Jake has dedicated his life to serving our Savior in cause much greater than us all.

He is sick. And has been for awhile. Will join me and pray for him to be made whole?

CONGRATULATIONS MICHELLE!

My darling sister Michelle ran for student council awhile ago, and I couldn't post her election poster until after she won...

f



Aren't these adorable? Yeah, I LOVE them!

Easter Joys and Conference

Was it just me, or was this past weekend just bliss? Does it get better than chocolate, p.j.'s all day, and awesome talks? I think not.


Its a tradition in my family to color holiday pictures during conference. It helps all us ADD-ers to focus and listen.



If you were wondering what my favorite talks are... You can click HERE, HERE and HERE.


During the in-between times of morning and afternoon session, the easter bunny aka Robbie and me, (just for the record... I don't like being the holiday figure of children. It sucks not doing the egg hunt!) came and hid eggs all over the yard. Thank goodness the snow melted by then! YES! I just said snow. It snowed Easter morning. How pathetic, right?



Here are the Egg Hunters:




I don't ask... I just take the pictures. P.S. Those nasty thermals she's wearing were mom's from YEARS ago.




Melt my heart!



Michelle found the poop egg Robbie and I hid.
HA HA HA SUCKER!




This is Maddie's bunny, Tuffy... I was so proud of my edit, I had to show the before and after.

After Robbie and I entertained the children we went over to his house for the annual
SCHAACK FAMILY EASTER EGG HUNT EXTRAVAGANZA

Can I just tell you guys something... This is the MOST epic and exciting thing to happen to me every year. Karen, my mo-in-law, hides eggs all over the yard and, in the dark with a flashlight, we have to hunt for them all over the yard. IT'S A FLIPPIN BLAST. And the best part? The eggs are filled with money money money money money MO-NEE (song courtesy of the apprentice.)


I'm sure you are all wondering who won... I will let the pictures speak for themselves...



Here's another one just in case you wanted more evidence.



I guess it would be fair to say that I DOMINATED their faces.


Thats my war paint on my face... I am all hard core!





Well I hope you all had a FAB weekend.

loves. hugs.

jess.