My "Marley" and Me

As I was sitting on the computer writing my paper, I decided to sit down and tell you a little about my "Marley"...aka Jake :) "SweetBoy Jake" to be exact...that is his registered name. At the time I filled out those papers, I was totally oblivious. I would've never realized that at the age of 7, and 100 lbs, I would still be chasing him around DAILY to get socks, underwear, food, Presley's toys...and yes, even the occasional tampon. (FYI...as I'm writing this, he is laying beside me with his head on one of Presley's books...he just brought it in here to "show" me. What a "sweetboy.")

So as you can guess, what really got this going is the movie Marley and Me. I watched it for the first time the other day. It has taken me this long to finally work up the courage and do it. My mom and sister have been telling me to read the book forever, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I knew it would be hilarious...everyone said it was "Jake's story." But with that story, also came a sad ending. And I just couldn't bear the thought of that. But our best friend Sonny was so adamant that I watch it. He said "Candice, I swear its like someone put a hidden camera in your house and recorded Jake for the past 7 years.) As intriguing as that sounds, I was still skeptical.

See, Jake was the first inside dog that I had ever owned. Clinton got him for me for our first Christmas. I had wanted a golden retriever my entire life but my parents wouldn't let me have an inside dog. So when Clinton asked my dad permission to get one, he finally gave in. Only there was one condition...it had to be a yellow lab (that was his favorite). And of course, they wouldn't shed "near as bad" as a golden retriever....ummm yeah right. So about a month before Christmas, Clinton brings me this banana box and tells me to open it...only to find the most precious thing I had ever seen. From that day on, I was hooked. I loved Jake more than life (please remember this was before I was a parent...I love Presley more, no worries). He has truly brought us so much joy, and needless to say, entertainment. Ohhh lets see... there was the time that he shredded our leather chair...it literally looked like a lion had taken its teeth to the entire side of the recliner. There was also the time that he almost ate one of my diamond earrings that I only had for a few weeks. He's eaten a huge container of fudge...twice...container included on one of those times. Countless clothes, flip-flops, pillows, my great grandmothers homemade quilt...all have been destroyed during one of Jake's escapades. But despite all of this, he is still my sweetboy :) And its because of this reason that I had to get up during the last few minutes of the movie. I couldn't stop crying and was making a total fool of myself. Thirty minutes after the movie...still crying. I made Clinton move over so Jake could sleep in between us. I spooned him just like I use to in the old days :)

Now that I've had the chance to reminisce the past 7 years, here are a few recent pics of my Jake!

Jake with Uncle Sonny...while we were watching "Marley and Me"....

and yes, he is a 100 lb lap dog:)

Presley and Jake surveying the neighborhood

One morning I woke up to find him asleep with one of Presley's toys :)

Playing in the snow :)

This past Christmas with one of his toys!

The first time I realized Presley would love him just as much as I did!

He had just licked her on the face but my camera was too slow and missed the shot :(

Lets hear it for the girls!

Hello ladies! I've been meaning to blog for a few days and I just didn't have the time! Anyways, I thought I would do a little something different today that will hopefully bless you in the same way it did me! Quick re-cap....I was venting to my friend Candice about this annoying girl I have to deal with on a daily basis. Well it led to Candice telling me how she had recently made a list of all the girls in her life that she values as a good friend. Her number came to 16! How awesome is that?! I know some of you are thinking "Ok, you dont really have that many good girlfriends!" But I have to disagree! Just because you may count them as a good friend, doesn't mean that you have to talk to them every day, or that you consider them your "best" friend. They are just good ole fashioned girlfriends that you love and value their friendship! So I decided to make my list too! My number...15! Now don't get me wrong...there are definitely more girls than that that I have loved over the years and played an important part of my life. But these girls are special because they are constant. They don't mosey their way in and out of my life! Now my dad always says that you can count your true friends on one hand...and I'm not disagreeing with that one bit! There are only a few that I consider my "solids", as I like to call them! But these girls have been friends to me for years, they have been a shoulder to cry on, a friend to share my joys and sadness with, and friends that have played a part in creating some amazing memories! I'm not going to go through the whole process of naming them because they know who they are. But I encourage you to take the time to make a list today, too! It will really bless your heart to stop and think about how many girlfriends you love, and that love you, too! Just a little food for thought! Hope it makes your day a little brighter!

Hola Friends!

Well it's Monday...here we go again! I'm actually looking forward to this week...I'm basically in my last week of school! Test tonight, exam tomorrow night, then exam next Monday! My wonderful sociology teacher is letting us email our research paper and the answers to our final! So even though I have to work on that stuff, I dont technically have class! LOVE IT!

Speaking of research paper, I had to change my topic. I couldnt find "scholarly" references on the SAHM/working mothers topic. Thanks to my bf Candice, I'm now doing the importance of family time at the dinner table! I've found countless references on that so I'm good to go!

As far as the weekend goes, nothing special. I did go downtown to Hooters with some gals for my friends bach party....love me some hotwings! Sunday I got some stuff done around the house, worked on my paper, and went to my sister-in-laws bday cookout. That was about it!

Well here is a survey to pass the time! Hope you guys have a happy monday!!

The Questions:
What is your current obsession? Rob Patinson!

What do you think your name says about you? Well it means "glowing", thats all I know!

Who was the last person you hugged? I'm not sure...probably my nephew Will!

What’s your favorite dinner? Oh this is hard...I love food, obviously!

What was the last thing you bought? Groceries

What are you listening to right now? Drake and Zeke...couldnt make it through the morning without them!

What is your favorite season? I always say I love winter...love the warm clothes, covering up in a blanket, the fireplace...CHRISTMAS! But honestly, I love the spring and fall...when it gets in the 60's, slight breeze...beautiful!

What is your least favorite season? Summer...its so dang hot in Memphis! And humid! And I have naturally curly hair so that does not work for me!

What's in your bathroom cabinet? who knows!

What did you want to become as a child? a teacher...specifically an art teacher

What do you miss? when things were simple...and I had all the time in the world!

What's your favorite dessert? I love just strawberries and vanilla Ice Cream!

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would take my European vacation with Candice and my sister Crystal! We are planning to take one in a few years!

What is your most challenging goal right now? Not stressing over the things I can't control. Getting healthy.

What’s your 5 year plan? To be teaching...hopefully kindergarten or 2nd grade :) To have another child...little Hunter! And possibly moving into a bigger house!

Why is today special? Its my sister-in-law's bday...happy birthday Maegan! And its gorgeous outside! Couldnt ask for anything more!

What is my favorite sport to watch? Memphis basketball what, what!

Story of my life!

I am having such a hard time with this research paper! I thought I had my topic all ready, but I am having no luck with references. They have to be "scholarly" references, which throws a wrench in the whole system! So now it looks like I'm going to need to find a new topic....a week before my paper is due. Why do I always do this to myself?! NEVER FAILS! So if any of you gals have a great research topic, then please let me know!! I'm up for suggestions!

Anyways, if nothing else, might as well get a good nights sleep!

Happy Friday!!

Mornin' everyone! It's Friday and I am sooo happy! I really thought this week would never end, but here we are! Now, if I were to say that to my dad, he would say "Candice...don't wish your life away." He's so wise haha! But sometimes I just can't help it...I work and live for the weekends!

Not much going on this weekend though. Tonight I'm going to run to Baby Time to check out their new shoes and clothes. My mom got Presley the cutest pair of Sun San sandals from there. She also got her a different brand in white, but I'm not a fan, so we're taking those back! Oh and they have the cutest clothes there, too. She got her this one outfit from Beary Basics and it's so stinkin' precious! It was about $60 and it would be sooo easy to make...well for my mom, not me! So she bought some different patterns and found a site where you can get all the cute fabrics! So sorry Baby Time...we won't be purchasing any future outfits from there when we can make them for about $5!

Other than that, it's mainly study time for Candice! I have two test next week and two maps due...and needless to say, I STILL haven't started on my research paper! But I am going to have to be disciplined this weekend...I need to just suck it up! It's just so hard bc I always have so much going on. I'm suppose to go to a shower tomorrow, then I'm going downtown for dinner for a friends bach. party. Sunday Clinton and I are finally joining Ellendale Baptist! Don't ask whats been taking us so long bc I have no idea! Then Ill finish the weekend celebrating my sister-in-laws bday! Now you see why I have such a hard time getting things done...I try to do to much at one time.

Well that's about all...have a great weekend!

The 8 game

I got this off one of my friends blogs http://leighfields.blogspot.com/ ...thought it would be nice to think about some of the good things in life :)


8 Things I'm looking forward to:
School being O-VER!
Watching Presley grow into a little girl!
Being debt free...almost there! (Just a little clarification, this doesn't include our house or cars..I wish!)
Cancun in June!
Becoming a teacher....in about 5 years haha!
Reading all the Twilight books this summer
Family time with Clinton and Pres :)

8 Things I did yesterday:
Worked
Went to class...got a 95 on my test!
Picked Presley up at my in-laws
Visted with my dad at Pericos bc he was eating alone :(
Gave Presley a bath and put her to bed
Finished one of my papers
Made lunch for today
Went to bed...sadly this is about the extent of my excitement every day...but I love it!

8 Things I wish I could do:
Go shopping in NY! Its been too long!
Lose about 75 more lbs!
Snap my fingers, and my research paper would be DONE!
Travel to all the places I want to go...Chicago, Boston, Cali, Montana, Paris, London, Venice, Rome....the list goes on!
Leave work and take Presley on a walk...its gorgeous today!
Hire someone to clean my house every day! I hate dog hair!
Go to school full time
Become more organized...stop being a procrastinator.

8 shows I love:
Sex and the City
King of Queens
Seinfeld
Criminal Minds
Without A Trace
Desperate Housewives
Brothers and Sisters
House Hunters...and just about anything else on HGTV!

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

Here are a few picture frames that I've done...just a little something I enjoy doing for fun. I might eventually try to sell them, but for right now it's just something I do while watching a little TV!

Easter Weekend!

So it was a very busy weekend for Presley! I took off work on Good Friday so I could enjoy some time with Presley and my mom. We had intended on running a few errands and heading to the zoo, but it was kinda cold and raining. So we shopped all day instead! Works for me! While we were at the mall, we decided to take her on a carousel ride for her first time, too. Every time the horse went up she would go "ahhhhh!" It was so precious!

Saturday was such a gorgeous day! We started off with Presley's first Easter Egg Hunt! It was really cute...they had it in the town square of Arlington! It was divided up in different sections, according to age. It was so much fun! She couldnt quite grasp putting the eggs in the basket though...it was much more fun taking them out and chewing on them!

Afterwards, we finally made it to the zoo! It was Presleys first time and she loved it! She loves to people watch more than anything...just like her daddy! I love it, too, but I'm usually too busy in "Candy Land" to notice what everyone else is doing. But we did have a great time...she LOVED the monkeys! Now that shes gets from her mama! When we got back to my mom's house, we took some pics of her outside..it was too pretty of a day not to:)

On Easter morning we woke up to see what the Easter Bunny brought her! She got a movie, a bug catcher, a wooden toy that I (um I mean the Easter Bunny) painted for her, some peeps, bunny ears, and a wooden cross that says " Every good and perfect gift is from above" James 1:17...can't be any more true!! After that, we went to church with Clinton's family...AMAZING service! (By the way, if you live in the Memphis area and are looking for a church home, Faith Baptist is wonderful! Clinton was raised at that church, and I visited there for a while. But now we attend Ellendale Baptist which is sooo amazing, too! Either one, you can't lose!)

Anyways, here are some pics from the weekend...enjoy!

Almost there!

Ok I never get on her just to write about my day or whatever. I realize that's what its for, but I just use it to post pictures of Presley for my family to see. But I've had a burst of excitement because I just realized that I only have THREE weeks left of class! Actually in 2 of my classes, I only have 2 weeks! THANK GOD! It had been much harder going to school, working, and being a mom, than I thought it would be. And its really not the "going to class 3 nights a week" thats killing me...its all the work outside of class! I mean, why can't I just go to school, learn a few things, and be done with it?! I dont need papers, maps, tests....I mean, what are they thinking?! But on a positive note, I went to sociology class last night and got my test back...103! AND she canceled our last paper so we could focus more on our research paper! My topic...The battle b/t working mothers and stay-at-moms. I even sent out a survey to all my friends that fall in each category...surprisingly only like 6 responded to it, and only 2 of those were a SAHM...so I'm hoping this weekend some others will take the time to respond to it:)

Anyways, I have already been making a list of allll the things I want to do during my 3 months of bliss this summer...well not really bliss, bc I still have to work. I have lots of projects I want to do around the house, crafts, etc. Also, me and one of my bf's Leigh Anne have decided to start a little "business" and we have a lot to get done this summer! But I think I'm most excited about doing things with Presley and Clinton...taking her to the zoo, the sprinkler park, or heck just the park in general! I'm just ready for some family time with her and Clinton!

Well I have a busy weekend ahead...tonight me and my sis-in-law are taking the babies to eat. Then tomorrow Presley has two birthday parties to go to! One is our friends/neighbors little boy, Joseph, is having his party at Pump It Up. After that, we're heading to MS for Ava's second birthday! Shes the daughter of one of my other bf's Kelly! I can't wait to see them!! We're going to stay the night so we can have some more time with them. Then Sunday I have to go to my aunts for my grandmothers birthday! It's always something, but I love it!