What I'm loving Wednesday

{Linked up at This Kind of Love}

Is it already Wednesday? Let's hope the rest of this week goes by as quickly as the first half did.

Obviously I'm loving that the first Razorback game of the season is Saturday! I've been making mental lists of things I've missed about Fayetteville so we can be sure to hit them up. I'm dreaming of Doe's drop biscuits, that's for sure!

{via}

I'm loving these boots I got for my birthday. I was always under the impression that, as a short person, boots would just make my already short legs look shorter. But then I got these lovelies from my mom and dad for my birthday and was proven wrong. I feel like Monica when I say that they look cute with skirts, dresses and pants, but they do! I even bought a pair of skinny jeans to wear with them. Who am I?

{via}

And of course I'm loving my sweet husband. He's had a rough couple of weeks at work, and I'm looking forward to cheering him up with a long weekend that includes Arkansas football!

Bits & pieces: Vanna's Choice yarn (I'm a crochet nerd and proud!); new clothes bought with birthday money; time spent with family; and baby tomatoes. 

What I'm loving Wednesday

{Linked up at This Kind of Love}

It's been forever since I've done a "What I'm Loving Wednesday," and I figured a rainy, dreary Wednesday on the first week of school needed as big of a boost as it could get!

I'm loving that Scott and I are going to Nashville this weekend to see my family and celebrate my birthday (which is Monday, so you still have time to shop). We haven't been to Nashville in forever (I think this was the last time), and I'm so excited to get to see Courtney's new condo and spend time with everyone.

I'm loving that there's only nine days until the start of college football! We have quite the line up of games planned along with a few away game ventures. I'm just giddy with excitement!

I'm loving that our school year home Bible study starts tonight. Scott and I met at this Bible study in school, and I love getting to be a part of it now as one of its leaders. It's a big part of us. I wonder who the next Scott and Jennifer will be in that group.

Playing after Bible study Catchphrase, spring 2006. It looks like popsicles and triumphant hand gestures were on the menu that night.

One thing I'm not loving, though, is that today is my coworker Heather's last day in the office. She's off to be a stay-at-home momma to her sweet baby girl (who'd better hang on a few more days and get a sapphire birthstone). I'm going to miss having her in the office because she's become a great friend to me. The good part is she's not leaving town, so we can still have our Cookie Basket lunches, just adding a little one to the mix!

Bits & pieces: Dried mango; the mini Warbler (a little guy who really loves his "Glee"); shopping for fall clothes; amigurumi crochet (making crocheted stuffed animals); and Keebler fudge stick cookies.

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I've kind of missed doing this the last couple of weeks. Now that I'm in my online class, Wednesdays are online discussion days and I have to get my first post finished. And, if you know me, you know I wait until the very last minute to do so.

I'm loving my new haircut! Last week I decided it was time for a summertime change, so I decided that what was good for one Jennifer (Aniston, in this case) was good for another (me). I was a little shocked by the amount of hair on the floor when it was all over, but the result was perfect!

I'm loving my Kindle. I'm almost obsessed with it. I love having however many books I want with me in one tiny place. Plus, there's none of that awkward-positioning-while-holding-a-giant-book. I struggle with that. Really, it's great. Now I'm afraid the books on my shelves will starting flinging themselves off my shelves to attack me.

I'm loving the return of "White Collar." While some USA original shows have been a little disappointing (cough — "Covert Affairs" — cough), "White Collar" never is. Even though I hate USA's wonky season scheduling, I do appreciate it when all of the other September to May shows go away.

[via]

And of course I'm loving my sweet husband!

Bits & pieces: Blue Bunny birthday cake ice cream sandwiches (there's frosting in the ice cream!); this kid waking up to Waka Floka; my owl necklace I bought in Oxford; the Hanging With Friends app (I'm JenH829); and this girl and her extreme love of cats.

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving that both sides of the family will be in town this weekend. Scott and my sister Courtney are both graduating Saturday and the weeks leading up to it have been a whirlwind of cleaning, preparing, list-making and shopping. And while the preparation has been less than fun, I'm excited to see everyone and celebrate Scott's and Courtney's accomplishment!

I'm loving how one other person and I ended up dressing up for book-themed Bunco last night. I was under the (apparently misguided) impression that we were to dress up as our favorite book character, so I went as Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's. You know the scene in "Legally Blonde" where Elle walks into the party dressed as a Playboy Bunny and it turns out that it's not a costume party? I felt like that, only classier.

Note the tape on my handmade cigarette holder.

I'm loving that vacation is just over a month away! I can't wait for a week on the beach, relaxing and reading non-grad school-related books. 

I'm loving (?) that grad school starts next week. The question mark is there because it's kind of an on again, off again dilemma. I'm excited about continuing my education, but I'm terrified of going back to school. 

Bits & pieces: This article about what your choice of American Girl doll says about you; sunny days; the miracle of allergy shots; and this cover of Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now" (this girl kills Busta's rhymes). 

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving that Scott turns in his final M.B.A. project today. He's all done! All that's left is graduation next weekend. I'm so proud of him (something you'll probably hear me saying a lot for the next week or so) for balancing work, school and family during these three years, even though it's been very stressful and at times he's wanted to quit. He's going to be my mentor for juggling all those things when I start back to school in a couple of weeks.

Graduating with our bachelor's, May 2008

I'm loving that I won this dress (I chose the red one) from ShopMamie.com in their "Name the dress" contest. So say hello to the Andy Warhol-inspired "Avant Garde-n dress."

I'm loving the romance of the Royal Wedding, of course. My 11-year-old cousin told my grandmother that Scott and I look like William and Catherine, a complement I'll totally take. 

I'm loving the Harding magazine blog! I know you finish reading the alumni magazine and think, man, I wish I could read more by the magazine staff. Well, now you can! I blogged my first post yesterday, and we'll be posting several times a week. Be sure to bookmark it so you can keep up with all the happenings on campus between magazines. (You could also leave a comment on my post giving me I-got-the-first-comment bragging rights. Just a suggestion.)

Bits & pieces: Sunday lunches with friends; Zaza's green and white pizza; listening to songs from the previous night's "Glee" all day long; and no more rain! (for a little while at least).

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

After three days of rain, tornado warnings, and all around dreariness, I'm feeling less than perky. I'm like a lizard; my body temperature and mood rely heavily on the sun. Thankfully, it's starting to peak through the clouds, and it's "What I'm Loving Wednesday." You can't be grumpy while listing things you love! So, here I go:

I'm loving that we made it through the storms. Monday night, Scott and I could be found hunkered down in the bathtub with several pillows monitoring the tornado's movement via the Weather Channel app and listening to my favorite weather guy's report over the radio (the satellite had gone out). I'm a panicker when it comes to storms (well, life in general, but tornadoes bring out the worst in me), so I was on the verge of tears when I heard that it was 10 minutes from us. I told Scott that we needed to pray it would miss us, and right at that moment he said it appeared it was turning south and we had nothing to worry about. That was a prompt response.

Trying to protect my head ("That's a big job," Scott said) while still hearing the weather report.

He also said, "I don't want to be on the blog."

I'm loving the weekend visit from my mom and sister. Mom and I spent most of the time going back and forth to Hancocks Fabrics for supplies for our skirt project. For the first time since I was probably 12, I sat down willingly at the sewing machine for mom to teach me. I'll showcase the finished project once I sew the hook closures to it. 

I'm loving this sign, which is incredibly appropriate given the weather, my mood and my blessings.

Bits & pieces: Strawberry and blueberry tea; seeing little yellow flowers pop up on my tomato plant, Sally; nearing the end of The Girl who Played With Fire; planning weekend getaways; and that Scott's graduation is one week closer!

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving that my mom and sister will be here this weekend for Spring Sing. While Spring Sing isn't really the "love" part, I am very excited to see them! I haven't seen mom since Thanksgiving. She's bringing her sewing machine and giving me a tutorial. I've already been Googling skirt patterns.

I'm loving that I've got my grad school schedule all figured out and ready to go. If it all goes according to plan, I'll be a master of education in spring 2013. That's not too far away, right? I try not to think about how I'd be done with it now if I'd started after I got my bachelor's. It doesn't help.

I'm loving this sign. Scott and I have been keeping up with our nightly prayers with each other, and I've noticed that while I might think I know what the answer to the prayer "should be," God always surprises me. And he really does have a better idea than I do. It makes me thankful that I have a God who surprises me in the very best ways.

I'm loving this guy, of course. 

Bits & pieces: Ralph Lauren Cool perfume; Sally Hansen's "All Fired Up" nail polish (a pretty orangey-red I copied from the models in the JCrew catalog); and Kanye West's "All of the Lights."

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving the random community events Scott and I get to attend through the bank. On Friday night, we went to a fundraiser for the local detoxification/residential treatment program for people with drug addictions. While the highlight of the night was supposed to be hearing former Arkansas Razorbacks talk about their time on the team, what really resonated with me were the moving testimonies of several recovering addicts who had been through the treatment center. Their stories of finding themselves at the lowest of lows and, through grace and the help of those at the center, found themselves sober and trying to undo the wrongs of their past were beautiful. 

I'm loving that I won a sewing lesson at Bunco last night! I'd been lamenting most of the week that I can't sew and just want to be able to make a simple skirt. I should've listened when mom tried to teach me. As luck would have it, my Easter egg coupon (such a cute idea) was for a sewing lesson. Well, at first it was a pedicure, but that got stolen from me. No hard feelings though. I'm excited about my sewing lesson.

I'm loving if you would vote for me in the Jess LC Design Your Look contest! (Shameless. Just shameless.) Simply click here and write "Jennifer H. Facebook" in the comments. It's that easy! Some jewelry and $200 could be mine if you do (not to mention bragging rights over some girl named Tequila).

Bits and pieces: picnics on the front lawn; the royal wedding in Legos; the Chalk n' Talk app (it's like Pictionary); "Cosmic Love" by Florence and the Machine; and this picture because it speaks to my soul.

[via]

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving my little tomato plant. It's become like my child. I worry about it and check on it several times a day. I brought it under the cover of the patio during the terrible thunderstorms on Monday because I didn't think it could handle the wind. Thanks to Cassie, it is now known as Sally in honor of the character in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sally Tomato. I'm toying with the idea of weekly pictures of its growth like people take weekly pictures of their growing baby belly. Yeah, it's reached a crazy point.

I'm loving Pinterest. It's become my new Internet addiction. Basically, you can "pin" things you find around the Web to one centralized location, with links so you can find it later. It beats my "Ideas" folder on my desk top, full of swiped Facebook pictures of people's hair I like and jumbled Etsy listings. I have several boards in progress: style inspiration, hair ideas, what my future child's nursery will look like, crocheted stuff (which includes a really awesome ball of yarn and crochet hook tattoo), and the Beatles, as seen below.

I'm loving seeing God's hand active in my life. Scott and I decided we needed to improve our prayer life, namely in prayer with each other. We started last night and are already seeing God at work. It's amazing and sad how easy it is to neglect one of the most powerful "tools" provided to us.

Bits and pieces: Greek salads; playing bean bag toss in the backyard with my beau; alliteration; and raspberries.

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving that my sister Courtney will be here this weekend! I like to think it's just because she hasn't seen me since Thanksgiving and is just dying to see me, but I think the First Thaw Festival and the Avett Brothers probably have something to do with it. I'm also loving that the festival is this weekend, too.

I'm loving the new site Made This/Love This. It's a DIY collective that showcases different projects where everyone can post the finish product when they're done. I've already tackled the first project, a super easy T-shirt scarf (I opted for a tank top instead). Directions are on the site, but be warned – you'll start looking at everything with hungry, snip-happy eyes.

I'm loving blogging, as silly as that feels to say. I feel like blog material has just been coursing through my veins lately, and I've been getting a lot of positive feedback from readers (all eight of you). I love getting to write exactly what I'm feeling whenever the moment presents itself.

Bits and pieces: Crasins; Lifetime and their Prince William and Kate movie; spring colors; Bath and Body Works hand sanitizers; and how nifty would this silent alarm clock be?

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving this beautiful weather! It's like Arkansas got the memo that it's time for spring, and I'm loving it. Bare legs, open-toed shoes, bright colors — sign me up for a year of this.

I'm loving that Scott won two free, round-trip airline tickets at work yesterday! We can fly to one of 11 U.S. cities. My initial hope was Orlando and Harry Potter World, but I think we're leaning toward Miami as a port for a cruise. Decisions, decisions.

I'm loving that Saturday is the Cassie Jones photography workshop! I'm hoping to learn some new tricks with my camera and really amp up my blog photography. I'm doing this all for you, people.

I'm loving this beautiful tablecloth Scott surprised me with last week. It's worlds better than our previous, drab tan one. He also got me some Cadbury Eggs — because he knows my love language is chocolate.

Bits and pieces: I don't know if I love this, but here's the last scene filmed for the Harry Potter series; Milano cookies; L'Oreal's Target red nail polish; if I could knit, I'd make these cute royal family dolls to cement my royal wedding obsession; Kate Middleton's trench coat (I'd love to be her friend, and she'd let me borrow her coat and I'd help her put stamps on the wedding invitations).

What I'm loving Wednesday

Linked up at This Kind of Love

I'm loving that we're only two days away from Friday! Scott and I are going camping with our friends Rusty and Cassie this weekend, and I'm pretty excited about it. And while on any given day the words "camping" and "Jennifer" don't mix, Rusty and Cassie have a camper. With electricity. And beds that aren't on the ground. That's my kind of camping. 

I'm loving Zaza's in Little Rock. Scott and I went wandering through the Heights this weekend and decided to pop in for a late lunch. We got the the Perella, and it was delicious (I'm a sucker for parmesan and goat cheese), but the real kicker was the gelato. It was superb. I got half chocolate, half hazelnut (remember the whole Nutella in my pie hole? Yeah, it's an addiction), and Scott got tiramisu. It had little bits of lady fingers (the cookie, not the appendage) in it. Very yummy indeed.

I'm loving this cute little Razorback cookie cutter I picked up this weekend. I'm planning on taking him for a test run next month when we go see the Razorbacks' football spring practice and baseball game for Scott's birthday.

I'm loving The Avett Brothers' album "I and Love and You." I've been playing it a lot lately in preparation for their concert here at Harding in April. One of my favorite songs is "Kick Drum Heart." I love how peppy it is.

I'm loving that Scott begins his very last M.B.A. class on Monday. I cannot wait for him to graduate in May. He's worked so hard for this, and I'm glad to see it paying off! I'm not too keen on being a night class widow anyway.

Bits and pieces: Nothing makes me miss that four inches of hair I chopped off quite like this hairdo; the quiet of working during Spring Break; impromptu lunches with Scott; this sign for which there are no words, except maybe "hello"; and this dress (Emma Pilsbury wore it on "Glee," and if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me.)

Just as a side note, my crochet shop, Yarn Good Time, is shutting down for the season, but it will open up again in September! I hope to have a few new offerings in the fall. Thanks for your orders and support.

What I'm loving Wednesday

I always love when Nicki does her What I'm Loving Wednesday posts, so I thought I'd follow suit today. It's nice to give yourself a mid-week shot in the arm, especially when the past two days seem to have lasted for years.

I'm loving Tuesday night Bunco nights. When I first signed up last year, I rolled my eyes because it sounded like something I'd give my mom grief for. But from the first time we met up, I was hooked — not just because you get an awesome prize even if you lost (which I do a lot). I've loved getting to talk and laugh with 15 lovely ladies every month. Plus, when else do you get to dress up for a tea party?

I'm loving pomegranate green tea. Since I kicked coffee to the curb (really just caffeine in general), I've been searching for an acceptable warm breakfast drink substitute. I feel like I'm doing myself a favor when I drink it because I don't add cream and sugar to it like my coffee and doesn't send me into crazy jitters by 10 a.m.

I'm loving that spring is almost here. I'm not a big fan of winter, and once the excitement of Christmas wears off and we're stuck with two or three more months of it, I have little drive to perk up. Plus, this year I'm armed with my allergy shots, so spring won't be as miserable as it has been in the past.

I'm loving how God is working through difficult circumstances to show his love and how unbelievably powerful prayer is. I hope that I can carry this with me and never pray feeling that it will not change the outcome.

I'm loving the new online version of Harding magazine! (Shameless plug.) Really, though, you should go flip through it (because you can in this new online format). It's so neat to see our hard work in a new format. Fret not, though, the magazine will still pop up in your mailboxes like always. My grandmother loves having it to put on her coffee table. Note: If you're reading this on an iPad (Hi, Kim!), you won't be able to view the magazine because iPads don't support Flash. Sorry.

Bits and pieces: Words with Friends (my username is JenH829), this painfully adorable French girl telling a story, my Bath and Body Works' lavender and chamomile candle, this "UP!" house (in real life!), Cookie Basket lunches, this "Hey Jude" flow chart, and that it's finally Cadbury Egg season!