Monday, January 17, 2011

IHeartFaces Photo Challenge: Winter Wonderland

This is still one of my FAVORITES pictures of I decided to enter it in the IHeartFaces Photo Challenge this week. The theme is "Winter Wonderland". Enjoy!

PS. Check out their website! It's awesome!





Monday, January 3, 2011

My Bucket List

Great title, huh? My creative side is just shining today! Can't you tell?

I signed up for the MeYou Health Daily Challenge.   Everyday they post a new challenge for you to do. Share it with everyone or just a few close friends! These challenges are small things that will help you with your well-being. It's pretty fun already and exciting to see what your next challenge is!

Today's challenge was to share 5 things on my bucket list.

I don't have a bucket list...

Now is a great time to start one then! Hmmm...

1. Move to Oregon
2. Go to New York around Christmas time
3. Have my own Photo studio
4. Get Married
5. Visit Ireland
6. GO back to England
7. Visit Australia

OOPS...was that more than 5?

oh I thought of another one!

8. Go on a cruise

I could probably go on! I should write these down somewhere else to have an extra copy!

Next step! I have to write down one step on how to get closer to one of my dreams on my bucket list.
Most important to me is my number 1. Move to Oregon. Where i live, the job market is HORRIBLE.
It's horrible everywhere....
Time to really push myself to get a job. Going on a visit to Oregon (thanks to the help of my family and my winter job at Ritz Camera..I misses it there) in less than a month. When I get back I plan to Get a job and pay off bills and set aside money to move and have my own place. I don't need to spend my money on Stuff I don't need.

Yeah...I can do that! No problem!

Go on! Try it! What are 5 things on your bucket list?
While you are at it, you should sign up for the Daily Challenge! It's fun!

No picture today *gasp* I know! Next time I promise!

<3

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Permissions

I'm trying...


I saw this on  another blog, I already can't remember which. I should have kept it open. It linked back to this blog though (and a new blog I will be following)! I have never been good with resolutions so this would be more ideal for me!

11 permissions for 2011

I give myself FULL permission to:
1. Laugh and smile every chance I get even if I don't think I can
2. Get out more, go for a walk, bring the dogs
3. Take more photos
4. Appreciate who I am
5. Try new things
6. Be a better person
7. Never Give up
8. Blog more often
9. Enjoy the Small things
10. Live Frugal
11. Be Healthy both Physically and Mentally

I want to put every one of these into action! 2011 will be a good year. 2010 had a lot of good and bad experiences and a lot of life changing events but 2011 is the year to push myself to being a better person.

I am encouraging you to participate! make yourself a personal note and put it somewhere you will always see. Post it to a note on Facebook, share and encourage your friends! Don't let 2010 be JUST another year!

I would love to see your lists! If you want to share Comment below! I can't wait!

Of course I can't leave you without a photo!

Hocking Hills in OH. Sometime in November!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

I've Mentioned this before SNEAK PEAK

Kayla is getting married Next year! Can you believe it! I had the honor of doing an engagement shoot for her. It eased me up just a hair on being comfortable posing people, though I still need to practice! Haha!

Meet Kayla and Luke! Such a cute Loving couple! Despite Luke not being so comfortable in front of a camera he did great! Both of them made this a fun session with lots of laughing! Not to mention I got to see Harpers Ferry for the first time!

We took these photos on 10/10/10 and I can't think of a better day to document their engagement!

So here is a sneak peak for you!!




Saturday, September 11, 2010

Nana Banana from Alabama

I've wanted to write this blog post since Thursday. I've thought and thought about what to say and how to say it but nothing was right. So I'll just write.

I've never had to experience the lose of someone close. yes, I've lost people and I was sad. But they were family members or schoolmates I didn't really know. At the moment, nothing hurts so much as losing a close close relative. I lost my Nana, my best friend, on April 12th. Looking at the current date and time, Sept. 11, 2010 3:50am...It's been just shy of 5 months since she's been gone. I count the days. I spend night after night thinking about it which results in stressed induced insomnia. There are days where I spend hours upon hours just looking through photos of her growing up or pictures of her with us, her last Christmas, random days in 09 and 10. While I do my best to remember the happy times and good memories I still feel that knot in my throat and before I know it I can't stop crying.

I don't really know how to deal. Most of the time I keep it to myself. I cry alone; usually at night when I should be sleeping. I know I will be ok eventually and that I'll miss her but I will be able to handle it better but right now I feel like someone punched a hole in my heart and tossed it in the ocean. Did I mention I am afraid of the ocean cause I cant swim. A piece of me is gone forever. How do I deal with that.

Despite it being 5 months, it's still surreal. I remember the night that the realization this was happening here and now was like running into a brick wall. She slept and slept and wouldnt wake up but she was still there. We sat together on the bed that night, all of us and snuggled and stayed as clsoe to her as we could, some of us hugging her arm, some of us holding her hand, rubbing her head gently and whispering to her, keeping our hand on her leg. Just so we could be with her as much as possible. If I remember correctly. She woke up once, but I think then she knew too. Knew what was happening. Night went on and morning came and there was more sleeping. But the symptoms (is that even the right word) of death were showing, skin discoloration, swelling, etc. she was a whole different person laying there in that bad sleeping. I would walk in and out, to check on her (my mom and Aunts were in there with her).

They needed a break eventually. I sat down with her, I think it was around 5pm. Held her hand and just talked to her while they got tea and took a small break. When they came back I continued to hold her hand while they sat across the bed and we all talked. We talked about good times, and a couple times we had a scare thinking she had stopped breathing, only for her to keep breathing and we exhaled in relief. But while we jsut laughed and talked with eachother it happened. One minute she was here and the next, my aunt and mom noticed at the same time that she wasnt moving anymore. "did she stop breathing?" the paniced look in their eyes scaring me even more. I looked over and watched and watched and held my breathe parying for her to breathe again. I pleaded with her out loud "come on nana please take a breathe, it's easy come on!". She never did. From there everything happened so fast. She was eventually taken away and cremated. Her wake, her funeral, the mourning, the sorting of her stuff while at the same time not wanting to look at it. It all happened so fast.

Yet here I am 5 months later still struggling. I can't struggle forever. She wouldn't want that. She always told me "Live your life and enjoy it, but be safe." I did and will continue to do so. I love you Nana Banana from Alabama.

What prompted this blog post?

This Picture I found while looking for a picture of Kayla for the post about her engagement. I don't think Alicia has ever seen this picture before and I hope she sees the blog to see it.


It's just so adorable. I cant get over it. Even I forgot I owned this picture!

I dug through my countless photos of her and other people and things and it really needs cleaned and organized, anways, I found these other two photos of her I thought I would share. I think one has been shared on my FB while the other only my immediate family has seen because nana didn't want me to post them on FB. These are too touching to not share.



How can you NOT smile at this photo! Look at that grin! I hope she was truly happy in this photo :) This was around the beginning of December when we were setting up the tree. Her last Christmas and she got to put the star on :) Memorable!

One last one that I wish I had the letter for. Alicia, my youngest sister, wrote a letter to Nana. I proofread and made a photo collage of the family on it and her. She framed and wrapped it and when Nana opened it on Christmas morning and read it, there were tears. I don't think any present could have been better for her. Below is a collage of her opening it.

I don't I can type anymore. It's taken me about an hour and a half to write this in between bawling and wiping my eyes.

Until Next Post.

<3 Jenna, who loves her Nana Banana from Alabama

Friday, September 10, 2010

Say What!?

You might want to sit down for this one!


The Girl in my picture is my sister Kayla! She's Engaged as of September 9, 2010!! WOOHOO! Congratulations Kayla and Luke!!!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday

I think this is the most recent picture of all 3 of us together. I'm so short!
I think my mom took this photo.

From Left to Right: Kayla (20), Alicia (then 17), and me (22)