Greetings from Me to You!

Hi! I've missed you all!

With as much as i've been gone lately, you would think i've been on vacation! However, I am happy to say that life is finally getting caught up, things are getting tied in pretty little packages and placed out of sight and out of mind! To catch you all up this post is definitly going to have to be in the form of a list...so sit back, pop open a can of Dr. Pepper (I am obsessed with it lately!) and enjoy my tales of the last month!

♥ I finished up my semester from hell! Two classes seemed like it wouldn't be too difficult...little did I know the Creativity class I choose to take would consume my life, my thoughts and my passing moments for the next 4 months! 5 entire books later, 10 papers, a 12 page research paper and a bunch of random assignments thrown in last minute "for fun" and I am proud to say I have finished and am about to list all 5 of those books on Amazon over the next few days to get some cash back! My other class was a class in International marketing and I am so glad I took it! I learned some truly amazing information and my teacher was phenomenal. For my final project my group researched the Asian-American demographic in the beauty market and I have to say it was a very interesting project! Have you heard about O.P.I.'s new Hong Kong line?! The names of the polishes are actually putting a bad taste in some peoples mouths and they are viewing it as "a wee bit racist"

hmmmm You Red My Fortune Cookie?, Bling Dynasty?, Chop-Sticking to My Story? What do you think?
I loved the classes, but I am so happy to finally be done and have officially completed 5 of the 12 classes toward my masters Degree! This summer i'll be halfway done!!!


♥ I have been a reading machine lately and have read 5 books in the past few months! I had almost forgotten how much I love reading, and I would LOVE to start a book club with some ladies here in Kansas City. We could read books and then get together to discuss them, drink some wine or have a coffee date and try out a new restaurant in town! The first 3 books I read were all from The His Dark Materials series. I never got to read them when I was a kid and I really loved them! After I finished them I read the 5th book in the Percy Jackson series. I've always loved studying the history of Olympian myths and legends, and this series is just so much fun to read! Yesterday I picked up my 5th book Chelsea Handler's, Are You There Vodka? It's Me Chelsea and it was hilarious!!! I read it cover to cover in one day...although I may have stayed up a bit late to finish it! Next up is the Time Traveler's Wife, and then Angels & Demons by Dan Brown. I just love reading and its wonderful to have a story to fall asleep to at night. :)

♥ Working out is going strong. I have begun to become less enthusiastic about going to the gym, and less motivated to get ready in the morning...but i'm still going and for that I am proud of myself. I still am not seeing big number changes, but my clothes fit MUCH different and tops/skirts that I haven't been able to wear in a long time have made me so happy as I zip them up and look in the mirror to see them hitting in all of the right places! I feel amazing, I feel strong and I hope to keep seeing changes. As I run on the eliptical I picture me in my wedding gown, just at my fingertips in a smaller size and looking beautiful in a bikini on the beach. Right now I average being at the gym for 1-2 hours about 5 days a week. I'm proud of myself and have started pushing myself even harder. I'm a huge swimmer and love to swim laps. I ended up going and buying myself a swimsuit and googles last weekend and yesterday was my first day back in the pool (after doing 30 minutes of cardio on the elliptical) I swam laps for about 45 minutes and my body REALLY felt it! I was aching across my shoulders this morning when I pulled myself out of bed and I could tell it had been a long time since I had swam that hard!


♥ Kansas City has been hit hard by storms these past few weeks, along with suprisingly low temperates. In fact as I type this the dogs are cuddled up close ot me on the blanket as thunder is shaking the house and lightening is lighting up the sky! In the brief glimpses of sunlight we have had i've been heading outside to tan as much as possible and build up on my color slowly. I know closer to the wedding i'll go to a tanning bed to get a little bit darker, but I would like to not worry about burning for the wedding, or the trip to Mexico right afterward! Afternoons laying outside have been wonderful and the sun has felt amazing on my back as the dogs have frolicked around in the backyard.


♥ I've been picking up quite a bit of freelance as well with photographer and graphic design so editing photos and designing illustrations has taken up a lot of time as I make a little bit of money on the side.


♥ On the wedding front we have gotten a lot done! I've gotten schedules somewhat figured out, i've begun trying to design our invitations and I have set up a weekend to go bridesmaid shopping with my girls! I had to find a place that carried a lot because my girls get to pick out their own dresses that are in the color Merlot, and tea length. I don't want them buying dresses that they don't love and so we are all going to go out shopping and find the best dress for each of them! My cousin unfortunately can't join us since she lives in Florida (jealous!) but I think she is going to look beautiful in the styles she's chosen! I am so excited for the wedding I could just burst!


♥ We had a busy Mothers Day and spent the evening of Mothers Day at my moms house. We had a wonderful meal, and I made a special desert! Since we are all watching our weight I didn't want to make anything heavy on the calories, and remembered a Mixed-berry almond gratin I had made for Spencer's moms birthday. It's a light desert that is low in sugar (well, except for the berries) and it substitutes tofu for heavy butter and cream! It's absolutely fantastic! Especially straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream! I recommend you all try it today! (If you have a food processor it literally takes 10 minutes to prep!) You can find the recipe here. I made it with fresh blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. :)


♥ Spencer and I went out to see Iron Man 2 the other night, and oh my goodness it was so fantastic! Scarlett Johanson was seriously hot in that film, and I swear I have a serious girl crush. As I munched on my gummy bears it made me want to turn tale and get my butt to the gym so I can rock a tight little body like hers! ...and her clothes throughout the film are sooo hot. I want to own them all!


♥ On the job hunt side of things I haven't had any new interviews, but I have recently applied for some great jobs! Including one with well known KC candy company, Russell Stovers! This could be a good thing....or a very very bad thing. haha! I hope I get an interview! I'm sure something will come along soon. :)

So that is my life in a nutshell lately... reading, school, working out and just plain working. I hope you all are having an amazing time right now, and enjoying whatever good weather is coming your way!!!
Now, i'm off to jump in the shower, run off to WalMart (Mia ate my contact lens case) and come home right in time to watch a little bit of Modern Family and the Middle! I just LOVE this guy!!!

♥
Jenni


Oh, and P.S. Don't forget to go here to vote for my wedding on the Dessy Facebook competition!! Right now we are in 6th place and the top 4 win prizes. :) Vote everyday, as often as possible and thank you so so so so so much!!!!!!!