Haters Gonna Hate

You can't help but smile at this chubby little guy.

He's also a good reminder to keep it real and do your own thing. You strut little man!

Print available here at These Are Things, which also sells really cool n colourful maps.

xo
Jen

Bonus: Lovers gonna love - dog lovers check out this Best in Breed slideshow from the Westminister Dog Show here

5 things...that I am going to try and get done this weekend!

Happy Friday! Did the four day stretch leading up to this glorious day feel as long to you as it did to me?

I feel that recently I haven't been making the most of my weekends, while I love the opportunity to lay about and really do nothing, I am starting to feel pangs of guilt for not being more productive. I have things that I have been meaning to get done, errands on my list, that when the time comes Ms. Lazy Bones takes over and I get sucked into multiple reruns of Grey's Anatomy. So I am giving myself some goals and I hope to return to you on Monday with goals accomplished.

Here are 5 things I am going to accomplish this weekend (I'm starting small):

1. I've been saying for weeks, nay months, that Amis Are We should have a Facebook page, time to buckle down and do it.

2. Remember those two ratty old chairs I bought, well they are still sitting in my parent's basement looking just as ratty, much to my Mom's displeasure. Time to make some headway on those.

3. Get the ole camera out and take some random pics!

4. Catch up with old acquaintances.

5. Create a back log of some quality posts, I feel like I've been throwing them together lately, today's post is further proving this point.

Cheers to the frickin weekend, lets drink to that!

xo J

Flying Solo - Week Eighteen

Bonjour Mes Amis!

Sorry for the radio silence from me last week - it was my birthday and that filled my time with sweet parties avec friends and family as well as some serious contemplating about where I'm at in my life. I've always been a bit grandiose about what being a "success" is, so with my voice biz staying pretty quiet through November, that contemplating wasn't always super fun. Have you ever had some of those days?

Well despite some moments of "yipes I should be busier, richer, smarter, prettier, faster, bulletproof, etc?" - you know, realistic not overally-dramatic stuff (wink, wink)  overall the week ended on the plus side. I ended up sharing 3 birthday cakes with my family - I bought one, my dad bought one, and my guy's mom made me one, my guy and I split a bottle of wine and some delicious pizza (life can't be bad with pizza), I got to watch my friend and her hubby baptize their new little daughter and the amis and I hit up the Waldorf for another Tiki night of fun.

As I stood in the Tiki bar or, more accurately, mildly wobbled with a mai tai in hand, looking down the the long table of friends chatting away, I had a Tiny Tim moment. God bless us everyone? Well, yes. And also, I'm one lucky chica to have so many awesome people to count as family and friends.

So this week if you feel the world getting you down with its push saying maybe you're not "enough" - think of all the people that love you, and tell the world where to shove it, nicely.

Have a great week - big love to y'all!
xo

ps. Thank you for all your calls, emails, texts, hugs n b-day love!! I love you more than there's words to say.

What beauty...

There is so much beauty and wonder in the world we live in. Some times with routines, schedules, appointments and good ol’ faithful work the beauty that surrounds us goes unnoticed because we are so entrenched in our daily lives. It happens to all of us no doubt, as lives get busier and time seems to run faster, but I always find it refreshing, when in the middle of the chaos of the everyday something catches my eye (or nose, ears or skin!) that reminds me of the wonder we are living in. I am always so thankful for those moments because they make me feel alive, connected and living this history. Whether it’s watching a child at play, a breathtaking view, receiving a kind act from a stranger or realizing that you’re having fun, it’s those moments that seem to bring me down to earth again and remind me not only of this world’s awesomeness , but also to not take things for granted. I’m so grateful for the priceless simplicities and nuances of life…they are a beautiful gift.