Sunday, April 26, 2009

Our wonderful weekend

We had amazingly warm weather this weekend and I didn't have to work at all Saturday or Sunday!!!! It was wonderful. Josh and I spent some long overdue time together, I went and got a well deserved pedicure, took a few naps and just enjoyed life and that hasn't happened for a long time. But have no fear, this week at work will make up for it. I will be slaving away during our last week of classes (silent wahoo!) for the first annual spring week full of lots of fun, exhauting activities. Then I get to haul myself to Ohio to see two of my former students get married and see lots of friends....very excited!!! Then it will be finals week and I can work 8-5 everyday....beyond excited.

Other than that...not a whole lot going on.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Jess Bay

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Wednesday's Walk...long over due

Seems as though since I said I was taking a break... I haven't...oh well
This Walk Down Memory Lane is long over due and will probably make no sense...but do any of my posts make sense..not really

If you want to join in jump over to Lynette's Blog

In true Jess Bay fashion this post will be about my family. Two members actually.
I didn't get to post when it was Zack's birthday last week due to my crazy life and today is my step mom Kerry's birthday so we shall reminisce about them.
Zack is just like me ( I have never admitted to that until right now). He is very smart but also very much in need of attention at all times and just loves to talk, talk, talk! I honestly do not know how he became so much like me. Just sorta happened. Zack wears glasses or should I say Zack breaks glasses...that boy has gone through pairs of glasses like underwear...hes a mess...just like his sister. I have grown accustomed to the idea of the boys growing up and becoming little men...but I want Zack to just stay little a little bit longer.
My favorite memory of Zack is sports related. I went to a soccer game of his a couple of years ago and he was playing goalie. Being that this is a team of a bunch of 10 year olds I wasn't expecting a world cup performance. But when the coach asked who wanted to sit on the bench and take a break Zack was the first one with his hand up...that is just like his big sister and I love him for it. The kid is genuinely hilarious and will probably be a genius someday and I am so proud of him. There is definitely a struggle inside of him between being a boy and being a teenager. When I called to wish him a happy birthday he was so excited to talk to me and tell me about his life...I know those times will end soon (Just ask the 15 year old in my life) so I am enjoying them while they last.
The next person is my step mom. I do not know how old she is today but if I asked she was say "29" so we will stick with that. Kerry is the best step mom I could ask for. She is a great wife to my dad and a fabulous mother to my brothers and sister.
I was about 8 years old or so when my dad married Kerry. I remember her sitting my older brother and I down and explaining to us that she was not going to take the place of my mother and she would never try to. I hold that conversation very near to my heart. I know a lot of people have parents and step parents who do not get along. I am not one of those people. I don't always see eye to eye with everyone but all four of my parents usually got along growing up, which is a blessing...I know. She used to take me back to school birthday shopping every year, and she used to do my hair and all that fun girly stuff when we would visit my dad's for the weekend. I have always felt like she loved me as if I was her daughter, not someone she inherited through a marriage and I am so thankful for that.
I truly am a blessed, lucky person. I need to remember that more often.
Happy Birthdays! I love you both!
Jess Bay

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

100 completely random things about me

Several of my blog "friends" have been doing this so I thought I would join in...although 100 is
A LOT!

100.) I love the color pink
99.) I used to hate wearing sneakers...now I live for days when I can
98.) As Josh so nicely put it last night...I am most comfortable in jean capri's, flip flops and a hoodie
97.) I want to move to the south so bad...but will never do it unless I convince my whole family to move there too
96.) There are many things and moments in my life I wish I could go back and change
95.) I stare at a computer about 17 hours a day..its terrible for my eyes
94.) I am a push over and all my students know it and use it against me all the time
95.) Sometimes I wish I would have given teaching a chance before going to grad school
94.) I grew up way too fast...not cause anyone made me...just cause I did.
93.) I hope and pray that all my grandparents live to see me get married
92.) I also hope and pray that at some point in my life my whole family will be together in one room and not kill each other
91.) I love country music ( I got it from my Dad)
90.) I love to read...(Got that from him too!)
89.) I can never make anything taste as good as my mom's version of it
88.) I am too organized...its annoying to most people
87.) I think I should be a better daughter,granddaughter, sister, friend and girlfriend and beat myself up about it all the time
86.) I wish I went to church more
85.) I want to lose weight...but like chocolate too much to really try
84.) My middle name is spelled wrong on my birth certificate
83.) I already have my unborn children named
82.) Joining a sorority changed my life forever
81.) Baseball is my favorite sport
80.) I want a tattoo on my foot
79.) I worked at Chili's for 3 years on and off in college
78.) I won an award from my undergrad's Student Senate
77.) Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on my 21st b-day and I remember feeling guilty celebrating while all those people were undergoing such devastation
76.) Cherry Coke is by far the best thing in the world
75.) so are twix bars
74.) I can not go to bed mad
73.) I love reality tv
72.) I want to have kids so I can go places like the zoo, the circus and other fun kids places again and not look like a weirdo
71.) My favorite holiday is the 4th of July
70.) Living with Kristen for two years was the funnest thing ever and no doubt saved my life
69.) I miss the city...a lot
68.) I wish I talked to my Dad more
67.) My dream house must have a porch swing
66.) This is getting really hard to think of stuff
65.) I went to Catholic school for 4 years
64.) I used to be a tomboy when I was little
63.) I want to be 2 inches taller...thats it!
62.) I wear high heels everyday to work...they all hurt my feet
61.) I look just like my mother
60.) I wish we could have picked up my childhood house and moved it to our new land
59.) My mom took me out to dinner to tell me we were moving and I cried at the table..in public...I was in college..not my finest moment
58.) I cry a lot..when I'm happy, sad, mad or just cause I don't know what else to do
57.) I love Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
56.) I want to get Lasik eye surgery
55.) I really want to go to California one day
54.) I want to get married in Mexico....but don't worry it wont happen
53.) I have a newly found love of hummus
52.) Salad I make at home is never as good as in the restaurants
51.) I am sad that my grandparents took down the hand made swing set in their back yard
50.) I am half way done with this thing!
49.) I miss going to the race track with my mom and step dad
48.) I have not written in pencil since high school....
47.) I used to have a nice signature...work has ruined that
46.) Sometimes I am my own worst enemy
45.) I would rather do things myself most of the time rather than asking for help
44.) I really want to start twittering
43.) I feel like I know the people who's blogs I follow and hope to someday have followers of my own
42.) I want a blog button so if anyone knows how to do that...let me know!
41.) As much as my students drive me nuts...I am going to miss them next year when they transfer campuses.
40.) I suck at directions
39.) I can't believe I have friends who are having babies!
38.) I have a wedding dress and I don't care what anyone says..I will wear it when I get married.
37.) My friend Candy keeps me sane in the insane world of student activities
36.) I love giving/sending cards to people
35.) I love that when I go back to Ohio not much has changed
34.) Josh and I are completely different...and although it causes lots of challenges I wouldn't have it any other way
33.) I am starting to forget things about my life...I need to start writing more stuff down
32.) People who are late annoy me
31.) I check my email like 100 times a day
30.) I would really like to be on a talk show one day
29.) Swimming with the dolphins is so cool...if you have not done it..you should
28.) I am a drama queen at times...but I'm ok with it
27.) It took me moving away to really appreciate my family
26.) I have been to Las Vegas 3 times and would still go back given the chance
25.) My greatest accomplishment is yet to be determined
24.) I am not a good gift giver
23.) I love themed restaurants (Hard Rock Cafe, Rain forest Cafe etc)
22.) I think going on the cruise saved Josh and I's relationship
21.) I wish my mom knew how proud I am of her
20.) I am really lucky to have 4 really great parents who love and support me
19.) As crazy as we are I love all my siblings very much
18.) I want to have a building named after me someday
17.) I should really be doing work instead of writing this
16.) My life would be in shambles without post it notes
15.) Lilacs are my favorite flower
14.) I need to take more pictures
13.) I need to have more patience
12.) I wish my birthday wasn't during the first week of the fall semester all the time
11.) I am afraid of all natural disasters
10.) I hate driving in the snow
9.) I have no "real" talent...like singing or dancing or anything like that
8.) I do not want to turn 25
7.) I still have "my" room at my parents house
6.) I hate when I go home and there is no good food there
5.) I never got sunburn until my senior year trip to Florida
4.) I l-o-v-e- the beach
3.) I will always be an Ohio girl at heart
2.) I just want to be happy
1.) I am finally done


Jess

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Do you think this is what normal feels like?

Oh I love the title of this post because that is seriously a question I asked Josh today while I was cooking dinner. To say this weekend was exhausting would be the understatement of the year but worth it in the end. We raised lots of money (actual total to be announced) and I will post pictures very soon. But I am very proud of my students.

Anyways...back to our almost normal day. I woke up and went to "Bounce" until about 2:00 then came home determined to get some stuff done around the house. Then I made the mistake of sitting down on the couch to watch the Cleveland Indians (my favorite) game and ended up curled next to Josh on the couch fighting the exhaustion. Needless to say, I took a little nap and felt a little bit better. We ate an afternoon snack then just sorta enjoyed spending a free minute with each other (trust me...it doesn't happen often). We made dinner and actually ate at the dining room table (another thing that doesn't happen ever) and right now just waiting for the Amazing Race to start.

I am learning to take the time to appreciate the little time Josh and I actually have together because there are so few now a days. Hopefully that will change once the semester is over but for now I will take all I can get.

Have a great week,

Jess Bay

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Yet another...apology

I have been and will be taking a break from blogging. April has been and will continue to be insane with events going on at work and I am just exhausted. I would love to sit here and complain about it but who likes a complainer...no one! This weekend is going to be busy but fun! My Greek Life students will be spending the next 4 days bouncing basketballs throughout town to raise money for Easter Seals so I will be sure to post lots of pictures from that next week.

In other news, going home for the Easter holiday was fun but stressful as much as I miss my family they tend to drive me nuts. I got to see Kristen for a morning/afternoon of shopping which is always a good time and everytime I see her I just miss her that much more..sometimes I think she is the only one who will ever understand me.

Other than that its the same old stuff around here...I hate to say it but I am so ready for the semester to be over and to be able to get some rest.

Hopefully I will be able to post again soon,

Jess

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Missing in Action

I have been MIA this past week but I was out of town for a conference for work. I know it is Walk Down Memory Lane Wednesday but I just do not have the time to post this week. Between being away and than taking some time off for the holiday my one day work week has been insane. I am heading to the big OHIO tomorrow and I am very excited to see the family and just have some time to relax. I also have some good things going on but don't want to jinx myself by sharing so please just keep your fingers crossed and say some prayers for us. We are desperately wanting good news...

Anyways....I will post more later.

Loves,

Jess Bay

Friday, April 3, 2009

Who to tell???

I remember the day I decided to start blogging. I had been feeling like there was really nothing that I was doing just for me and times were not good so I thought blogging would be a good outlet for me..and to be honest it has. The thing I have struggled with the most is who to share this blog with. Understandly so the link is on my facebook page but I don't think anyone even notices that. To my knowledge, Josh, my mom and my two friends Kristen and Candy are my only true followers but I wish I could share it with more people. I would love for my Dad, step mom and all my brothers who can actually read to be able to see this but I think part of me is embarrassed. Not that I pour a whole lot of hidden secrets into this but I just think that they would see this whole thing as me being silly. Especially my dad..I don't talk about him a lot and there really isn't a reason I just don't really talk to him that often either.

My goal for this blog was to document this crazy life Josh and I have and be able to look back and see that we have the strength to survive anything that life throws our way. So I guess in the end it doesn't really matter who is reading it or what they think. It is ok to be 24 and not have all the answers yet want want them oh so badly. It is ok to miss my family and friends more than words can say. It's ok to fight and get mad as long as always know you love each other in the end.

And no matter how hard it gets...I know it will be ok.

Happy Friday!

Jess Bay

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Wednesday's Walk

So I thought I would stick with tradition and talk about whoever's birthday is up and coming and that would be Austin the first of the many small siblings in my life. He will be 15 tomorrow and for some reason this feels hard to accept. I was 10 years old when my dad and step mom (Kerry) told me they were going to have a baby. They put my brother and I on the patio while they told my grandparents first then brought us in to share the news. I was so excited...and I really wanted a little girl but I guess you can't win them all (haha) but at 10 years old I vowed to be the best big sister ever. I wanted to do something really special for him since he was really the first baby in my life ever so I decided I was going to make him a blanket. Keep in mind at 10 years old I have no sewing or knitting abilities or no money so this was going to be harder than I thought. Fortunately I have a wonderful aunt who assisted me in my grand project and the yellow blanket with cute little bears was made and I did actually sew some of it. This blanket has since been used by the rest of the many small siblings.

There is one memory I distinctly remember about Austin being a baby. It was the first time he fell asleep in my arms. Just feeling him and watching him was amazing and I have known from that moment I want nothing more than to be a mom someday.

Then we have the obnoxious memories of his lovely teenager years...at my graduation party for when I got my Master's degree we were all sitting there and I am sure I told him to do something (who knows) but he looks right at Josh and says..."Don't marry my sister, she's bossy". Sad but true...luckily Josh has stuck around.

I give Austin a hard time..a lot. I think mostly cause that is what my big brother did to me so I am just passing the torch but he handles it pretty well. He is an utter clone of the big brother and I won't lie and say it didn't bother me at first but now I see him developing into this little man and it is truly amazing. He is really gonna be 15 tomorrow...how did that happen? Where has life gone?


I know I continue to say this but I am so lucky to have been blessed with 5 siblings regardless of their ages. They all continue to teach me new things about life, them and myself.

I wish I had pictures to post today but most of the pics from Austin's younger day are at my mom's house and we didn't have a digital camera back then and I have no scanner. I better get caught up with the times.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy getting to know my crazy family.

Happy Birthday Austin...I love you!

Jess Bay