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!

*
**
***
****
*****
*******
*********
************

hurry up already!