cupcakes and more

My dear friend, Anna, who teaches in the same grade as I do as just recently got into a new obsession...making cupcakes. My, oh my, these cupcakes she makes are ten times better than any bakery. Which I've only tried three of the ones she has made, but nevertheless, she was born to bake cupcakes! Not only does she bakes the cupcakes but she is a fabulous decorator and very creative at it. Check out her raspberry white velvet cupcake that she surprised me with at school the other day.

This one is her Peanut Butter with Chocolate inside cupcake.

More to come with Anna's cupcakes!!!! Stay on the look-out, these bad boys are delicious!

I am BACK!!!! Whew, with all these basketball games (3 this week) has taken a toil on my body! I have made it to the gym 3 times this week, whoo-hoo!!! Which is the reason I am lacking on blogging... but this week is the last week for basketball games, bittersweet! My first year coaching cheerleading is about over, whew, how it went by so fast!!!!

ANYWAYS, today is my first Saturday off this month, and I am pumped! I have cleaned house, went to the gym, and we have a date night tonight! Can you say excited? I am! Well I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Accessory Swap Reveal

This was my very FIRST blog "swap". I definately enjoyed it, and now will be searching for more to link up too.

I got paired with a beautiful young lady, Aly, at analyze this. We had a lot in common so she was easy to buy for. I really enjoyed shopping for her. Even though I got my shopping done early, I kept on running out of time to mail my package to Aly. I received an email from her and she was running late too on the mailing process...thank goodness we were in the same boat. My package arrived Saturday and I was like a kid on Christmas. I had to open it immediately!!! Check out all my goodies, she definitely spoiled me. Thank you Aly for all the wonderful accessories!

and a BIG thank you to Jessica, at Stilettoes & a fishing pole for hosting this accessory swap. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

a little late... but here it is

okay.... I'm a little late with blogging about my resolutions for 2012... school has started so Jessica has been consumed with lesson plans but now since it is the end of the week, I've had time to think and here it is....

Resolution 1:

Spend more time with God. I got a new devotional book for Christmas from my mother and I started it Wednesday. The book, "The Power of a Praying Wife". I don't understand why I struggle with prayer, I just do. It's my weakness.... I seem to get on a role and then BAM life hits me and I forget or I start and my mind wonders, God knows that this is my weakness and I have been praying to strengthen myself in this area.

Resolution 2:

Get myself into shape and eating healthier!!!!! I started Wednesday with maintaining a healthier diet, started off with taking my lunch to school. Pita, an orange, and baked pita chips with of course water!!! so far, so good... I PRAY this stays this way. I wanted to consume more water, also. While teaching I often tend to forget about myself.... drink that water Jessica. I have gave a classroom job to one student in each class of mine to remind Mrs. Walker to drink water. haha, this may seem goofy, but its been working! I've been "downin' that water". Rhett and I are joining the local gym next Monday and I am PUMPED! This will be the first time, EVER, that Rhett & I will be working out together, let's hope it all goes well. I think it will....

Resolution 3:

Laying off the technology... yes, this is definitely a hard resolution but I need to do this. I tend to carry my phone around with me like its my baby. I check e-mail, facebook, twitter, texts, weather, and basically everything. If it is not my phone, I am on the computer... if it isn't that I am playing Zumba (which I love) on our new Xbox Kinect. I want to have more quality "rhett & jessica" time and even more "me" time. I am joining the local home-makers club and the end of the month. If the name doesn't tell it all, you basically learn to do more "homey" things. like.. cooking, quilting, painting, and anything they basically did back in the "Little House on the Prairie" days. But don't get me wrong... I am tee-totally pumped about this.

Resolution 4:

COOKING, or I shall say cooking more and trying new recipes. Rhett and I seem to get stuck on the same basic foods, I am ready to branch out. One of my students got me the book, "Paula Dean's Cooking Bible". I have already went through and highlighted the new recipes I want to try out this month.  I am very thankful to have a husband to help out in the kitchen. He has his specialities and I have mine; therefore, we just stick with them.... let's go Jessica!

Resolution 5:

Thoughtful.... yes I said it... which not to "toot" my own horn, but I already think I'm a thoughtful person, but I need to do more thoughtful things for others. I have realized over Christmas break how pumped I get when I get Christmas cards in the mail. I want to send out more cards and letters to my church family, friends in other states, calling others...rather than shooting them a text or chat. I am starting to cook for a family once a month, whether it be our pastor and his family, friends, family, or others. (This is why I want to try new recipes, haha. )

Resolution 6:

saying NO... believe it or not this is hard, very hard, for me. This starts with saying "no" to shoes (that I don't need), clothes, jewelry, handbags, and etc. but also saying "no" to others. I tend get suckered into things... at school, staying late and helping out, doing a thousands things all in one day, working extra (which I love, but I know I need to spend some time with family), and so forth. I tend to say, "I can help with that, or I'll do that" then before I know it, I am staying up late working on things, when I need to be in bed. I got to take a stand and look out for myself and others. Don't get me wrong, I loveeeee to start new things and help out with them but sometimes I need a break.

Resolution 7:

Taking care of myself.... yes, I will admit I have trouble with taking my make-up off at night. I'll go into the bathroom and brush my teeth but get into lazy mode and head to bed. I have got to take this make-up off, or else I'll have a yucky ugly face by the time I'm 40. I need to take care of my feet, I like to wear my cute shoes to teach in for 8 hours and then come home and they are killing me. The next morning is even worse, my feet get swollen and then they get tender. I have invested in some shoes which I call my "maw-maw shoes" but I think they are stylish, Born's??? They are ahhhh-mazing! Every now and then I do wear my boots and wedges but a teacher has to be a teacher and not worry about those stylish shoes.

Resolution 8:

Dr. Pepper, needs to be eliminated! Even though I only drink one a day, I want to be strictly a water drinker. I have had a time with getting rid of the Dr. Pepper, Rhett has even started drinking Mt. Dew and I even stopped the other day at the convenient store, just to get a can Dr. Pepper. Oh yeah, I just drink out of a can, no other way.... helppppp me. Any suggestions?

Resolution 9:

Blog face-lift.... yes, I know... I am in desperate need of one! Please help me.... I have found Blue Lux... but I need one ASAP... Leave me a comment, email me, call me, I need a face-lift on this blog. I am also looking for a new title.... Just the Two of Us... well it just doesn't suit Rhett and I! Any suggestions?

Resolution 10:

TRAVEL! TRAVEL! TRAVEL! Rhett and I are excited about traveling and since we're married it makes it easier. For our, 1 year anniversary we will be staying in Savanna, Ga. I haven't been there since I was in middle school and my Great Aunt & Uncle lived there. Also we will be traveling to Houston, Texas during our spring break to visit Rhett's Uncle Greg. This summer we have a whirlwind of places to go and new people to meet. Any particular place that you love let me know and we would love to visit.

Resolution 11:

BLOGGING more! I think over the last month I have done a tremendous job at bloggin' more but I need to know what interest YOU! You're the readers on this blog... I know you just love hearing all about my life (ha) but what else would you be interested in? Maybe after a new blog face-lift I will begin to feel the love on this blog... haha. Wish me luck!

Resolution 12:

Date nights... Rhett and I need more date nights. We start off saying we are going to go out once a month but end up staying at home on a Friday night or doing something with friends. We have decided that Friday nights will be "our" night. I am super excited! I can't wait to have "my" time with my hubby!

Happy 2012! I'll let you in on a little secret.... I have started to pray for all my blogger friends. I may not know you personally but my God sure does! Have a fabulous weekend! I have a big weekend coming up, hope to hear from you all soon!

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! I know I am a little late but finally had some "down" time to blog.
This weekend has been one of the best ones in a while.... wonder why? I got to spend 3 entire days with my wonderful hubby. Which is rare because we both are usually way too busy to just sit around the house and actually spend quality time together, like  we got too have!

Friday afternoon my mother got off work early and we took a girls trip to Rome to go to Sam's, grocery shopping. I unloaded all my groceries and cooked a yummy dinner for my hubby who had been working on building a new fence in the hayfield behind our house. I have learned so much since moving from city life to country life...how to properly put up a fence. yippie dog, right? I fixed a baked ham, macroni & cheese, and green beans and even made some sweet tea :) We ate and cuddle up on the couch for a movie.... The Hangover 2. We laughed and laughed... married life doesn't get any better.

Saturday morning I woke up and had to run a few errands in town (which is a 10 minute drive) and I even had time to stop by the ladies boutique I work at on the weekends, The Willow Tree, to find a last minute outfit for New Years Eve.... best of the stop was it was 50% off. Way to go, Jessica!!!
I made it home in time to iron Rhett's outfit and get a shower and ready myself up for the night out.
We met my three friends from college and their mates at a Japanese Steakhouse in Jacksonville.

Anna & Adam

Rhett & I

Holly & Eric

Kristen & her dates. Stephanie (Kristen's sister & her friend) Kristen's boyfriend had to work....

how funny is this.... we were talking about our tights & how high we wear them... check my stance (pulling those tights on up).

Glad I got to spend my New Years with these girls!

We headed to Holly & Eric's house to play games and ring in the new year.

Sunday: We slept later than usual, due to coming home at 2am... (well worth the Phase 10 game, though) We did make it to church! Afterwards, went to my grandparents house for the traditional new years dinner. Collard greens, black-eyed peas, green beans, macroni&cheese, chicken fingers, and steak.... also had delicious desserts too. Came home in enough time to practice some new songs for church and to take a nap before going back to church.

Today: Rhett and I broke a record.... we slept in till 10:30!!!!! goodness gracious, this is not like us.... but oh, how it felt so good knowing that you didn't have anywhere to be. We got up and cleaned up the house. I did some laundry. I went to my classroom to clean and rearrange some things before inservice day tomorrow. Rhett called me to tell me that Skylar & Kayla (our friends) were coming up to eat dinner for us. I came home to find Rhett in the kitchen already preparing the food for tonight. I thought, gosh, I am one lucky lady!

Rhett soaking the chicken fingers to fry them... (not a healthy meal, but it's his favorite meal to cook. I give in every once in a while to let him cook it.)

rhett's southern FRIED chicken (check it out, more bread)

the deep fryer & green beans cooking

the chef for tonight making macroni & cheese

Overall, we have had a good start to the new year! I've got to do my work-out for tonight. I will post my new year resolutions tomorrow. Hope you all had a fabulous NYE!