Girls Weekend 2012 {According to my iPhone}...

1. Straight from the airport to get pedis......well, we did make a pit stop at Noodles and Co.
2. Fro-yo #1
3. Early morning photo sesh for Lydia's senior pics
4. Baby sister striking a pose
5. Afternoon at the pool {yes, that's my puffy foot, and Amanda's pretty, thin, tan one}
6. We didn't exactly eat healthy, but we enjoyed ourselves!  {Smashburger, chick-fil-a breakfast, and Fro-yo #2
7.  Amanda helped me pick out a new camera {my bday present bought with bday money from various sources}  I LOVE IT!  So excited for the upgrade, and for all the amazing pictures that will be taken with that camera.
8. Shenanigans at Target.....a Girls Weekend MUST, am I right?

Not pictured:  Magic Mike, complete with a theater full of rowdy women and waaaay too much popcorn.  The best enchiladas from Don Chilitos {I still can't believe I ate the whole thing and didn't feel full}.  Two trips to Noodles and Co. so Amanda could get her fix.  Wendy's iced coffee.  A little shopping for baby.  Lots and lots of talks, and laughing til I almost peed myself.  Don Javis {I'm not gonna explain that one, I just wanted to picture Amanda laughing when she reads it}. 

I can't express enough how much this one-on-one time with my bestie means to me.  I always come away feeling an extra zest for life, and a little more sassy than before.  There's something magical about girl time.  It also doesn't hurt that it gives our husbands {and kids} a chance to miss us, and us a chance to miss them.  Those reunions are always extra sweet.

When I dropped Amanda off at the airport on Sunday, I managed to make it to the car before the tears came.  I try really hard not to cry, but it's always a futile effort.   Every single time we say goodbye, I have a sudden, overwhelming feeling of being alone.  Like a piece of me is missing. I'm sure that sounds super cheesy, but it's true.  I always need a few good tears, and then I'm fine.

Amanda's friendship is one of the greatest blessings I've been given in this life, and for that, I'm so very grateful.

And now, back to our regularly scheduled lives.....

Moments....

A few moments from Girl's Weekend, captured by Amanda on her iPhone.  {Which I'm totally jealous of.  I may or may not have played with it some alot, and totally fell in love.  Someday.}

Do you own a smart phone? If so, what kind?
 My phone is about as dumb as they come.  We don't even have a texting plan.  We're old school like that. 

I'm baaaaaaaack!

Girls Weekend was a smashing success!  I cannot believe it's already over, but boy, did we have fun.  I'm so grateful to have had the time with my best girl, and I'm feeling so lucky, so young, and so ready to take on the world this morning.  There's just something about Amanda that brings out the best in me.  I love that girl.

Jon had an equally good time on his float trip.  We had a very sweet reunion yesterday.  We were both so refreshed, and giddy to see each other.  It was nice!  We really need to do this more often. 

I have so much to tell you/show you, but starting off this week, I just want to get some notable moments documented here.

• gimlets with my oldest and newest friends.
• early morning walks and really getting rolling on the talks, which continued non-stop all weekend long.
• getting a much needed pedicure, even though my guy was grumpy.
• seeing Amanda meet my Dad's sweetheart, and having her take some GORGEOUS pictures of them.  {Also, when we left Amanda noted, "This may sound weird, but I feel like I've always known Linda."  I knew precisely what she meant, cause Jon and I had the exact same conversation when we met her.  She's pretty incredible like that.}
• Margaritas and Mexican food.  {And, them carding me, but not Amanda.  I mean, she is a day older, but c'mon people.}
• Sitting by the pool on the perfect day, even if we did get sunburned.  It was totally worth it.
• Going shopping, and buying the same things.  Hey, we live 500 miles apart, no one will ever know!
• Hanging with my mom and sisters, and plotting some craziness.
• Finally seeing Bridesmaids, and it living up to all the hype.  Seriously, the best movie!  Maybe ever!  Instant classic, I tell you.  I for real want to go see it again, and I'm still laughing at certain parts.  Totally freaking awesome.
• Giving ourselves mermaid hair.  {Oh, this one will be an upcoming post, you can bet on it!}
• A fab photo sesh in the field by my house.  I felt like a model.  {Well, except for the profuse sweating and massive amout of bugs.}  Amanda is an amazing photographer, and I cannot wait to see the results.
• THE BEST Pomegranate Punch of all time!  {Well, the only pom. punch I've had, but it was so incredibly delicious.}
• Amanda teaching me to knit.  {and actually remembering it the next day!}
• Planning blog makeovers.  
• Deciding that Girl's Weekend must be at least a yearly event.

I only cried for a couple minutes when she left.  I made myself get busy with watering plants and going to church.  It never gets easier watching her drive away.  

Amanda, 
Thanks for coming up, and thanks for making me feel young and beautiful again.  You and I, we're the same.  I love that we're still discovering things that we have in common, after all these years.  I love that we can talk for 3 days straight and never get sick of it.  I love that when I'm with you, I'm 100% genuine Jen.  I love that we could spend a month together and still not get everything done that we'd like to do.  I love you, girlie.  You're the absolute best, and I'm so lucky to have you as my bestie.  
Jen


p.s. Thank you to my wonderful guest posters last week!  You ladies are awesome.

Party like it's 1999...

                                      Source: poppiesandsunshine.blogspot.com via jennifer on Pinterest

So, I'm a little frantic today.  Somehow, I think I've only managed to hint at the fabulous weekend that awaits me....

I'm having a Girl's Weekend with my best girlfriend in the whole world!  No husbands, no kiddos.  We're gonna party like it's 1999!  {Which, insidently is approximately the last time we had a visit just the two of us.  Crazy, right?!}

My Amanda is headed this way as we speak I type, and I feel like it's Christmas Eve! 

Jon will be headed out in the morning for his "No Hoe Float".  {Note:  He did not name said event, and I almost forbade him from going based on the name alone.  That was, until it occurred to me that if he was on a guy's trip, that meant I could have a girl's weekend with my girl!  Holla!}

It will be a glorious four day weekend full of poolside chats, pedicures, movies, shopping, talking, adult beverages, talking, long walks, and some more talking.  You know, girl stuff.  :)

I'll be taking a little vacay from the blog the next couple days.  I must spend every possible moment soaking in everything girl.  Don't worry though, I'm leaving you in able hands.  Yep, that's right, Guest Bloggers are coming to jdavissquared!  Can you believe it?  Not just any guests either.  We're talking some incredibly kind, talented, whitty and all around amazing chicas.  I can't wait for you all to meet them, and I know you'll give them a warm welcome.

So, until Monday, friends!

When was the last time you had a weekend with your best girlfriend?  Suggestions on what we should do?  Recipes we should try?  {Drinks or otherwise.} 

Fake it til you make it...

via on Pinterest

My bestie and I were having an email conversation this morning.  We were reminiscing about how imaginative we were as kids.  We had one game that seriously went on for years.  We picked out some "husbands" from the land of Hollywood {I won't tell you who they were, cause it's kinda embarrassing} and then we chose some "kids" from pictures and magazines.  We would play this strange version of "house' for days on end, rarely breaking character.  We knew what our husbands and all our kids {I think we each had 3 or 4}were doing, what they were wearing, and how they were interacting with each other at all times.  Looking back, I have no idea how we orchestrated all of that and had any idea what the heck was going on! 

We had some vivid imaginations, I can tell you that! 

But, it got me thinking about the saying "fake it til you make it".  Perhaps I need to resurrect that imagination.  What if I just started pretending to have things together?  {like, pretend that I'm the woman who works full time, runs a successful etsy store, eats well, exercises and still manages to keep her house clean.} 

Do you think that would eventually make it so? 

What about you, were you a pretender as a child?  Have you been able to use your imagination to help you in your adult life?

Win a personalized piggy bank!

The big day is here!  Visit Real Moms Real Views for your chance to win one of my personalized piggy banks!

{If you're a new reader from Real Moms...Welcome!  I hope you'll stick around a while so we can get to know one another!}

First of all, I'm so blessed to have such a wonderful best friend. Let me back up....My best friend, Amanda, you know, the one I'm always talking about....Well, she works with Real Moms Real Views doing all kinds of wonderful product reviews and giveaways galore.  She did the absolute sweetest write up for this give away, and I just love her!   Not just cause she did a sweet write up, I love her anyway, but it was really sweet!  Than

If you've never checked out Real Moms Real View's blog, you're in for a treat!  They give away awesome prizes almost every day and dish out great advice on everything under the sun.  {You don't have to be a mom to appreciate it either.}

So, have a kiddo?  Having a kiddo soon?  Know someone who does/is?  I bet they need a place to save their change!  Head on over and enter to win!

Happy Birthday Hollis!

Hollis turns one today!  He's the darling little son of my best friend.   {She wrote the sweetest post about him, you can read it here.} It's hard to believe he's having a birthday already, but I'm so grateful that I got to see him twice in his first year!  He has such a fun personality and is always full of love.  I want one just like him.  

Happy Birthday Mr. Hollis!  Aunt Jen and Uncle Jon love you very much!  mmmmmmmmmwah.

{photo credit:  wanted photography}

Sometimes all you need....

 is a day spent with your best friend!  

It's just a shame that we can't do it more often.

I cannot say enough how full my heart feels today.  Getting to spend some time with my best girl and her fam really hit the spot!  

Our time was spent with visits from mom's wanting to see the kiddos, movies, a walk to the pool {it was a scortcher!}, pizaa and wings, a few adult beverages, lots of popsicles, a long walk full of girl talk, and some patio time with a glass of wine...and more girl talk.  Ahhh.  So nice!  

I'd be lying if I said I didn't already miss them, but I'm so glad they stopped by!  Love you guys!

What has everyone else been up to?

{photo credit:  Madeline Bea}

Extended weekend...

I'm playing hookie today and hanging with my bestie and her beautiful family.  

I love having them here, and am going to soak up every second of this short visit.

I'll see you tomorrow!  Have a great Monday!  ;)

{photo credit: Spencer Fields Forever}

Happy Birthday to My Bestie...

"Sometimes in life there really are bonds formed that can never be broken. Sometimes you really can find that one person who will stand by you no matter what. Maybe you will find it in a spouse and celebrate it with your dream wedding. But there's also the chance that the one person you can count on for a lifetime, the one person who knows you sometimes better than you know yourself is the same person who's been standing beside you all along." 

-Marion St. Claire, Bride Wars

We both, no doubt, have been blessed to find our perfect matches in our spouses,  but I cannot tell you how glad I am to have found you.  You're that one person to me.  The one who's been standing by my side all along.  We will always have each other, no. matter. what.

I love you girlie!  Happy Birthday!  I still can't quite wrap my brain around the fact that we're turning 30.  Seems like just a couple years ago we were spending the summers together combing the mall, soaking up the sun at your pool and putting balloons on our fingers and toes.   Here's to the next decade, may it be our best yet!

xoxo, jen

photo tape and scallop medallions from here.

****And check out Amanda's photography blog, Wanted Photography .  She's a very talented photographer, and has just launched her own business!  If you're in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, she's offering an amazing discount for a limited time!  {I'm talking amazing, you'd be crazy not to call her discount!}You'll love the photos, and she really is the nicest person you'll ever meet!  {I am not just saying that cause she's my bestie either, she actually is the nicest person ever!}

I'm back!

Sorry I've been MIA for the last week!  For some reason, I could just not get myself organized.  I am determined to be more on the ball this week, in more ways than one. 

I am spending today getting ready for the week and enjoying some quiet time at home.  We just got back from the store, where I loaded up on healthy eats.  I'm determined to get back on track with my eating. Jon's getting ready to watch the Chiefs game, and I'm going to catch up on some blogs and prepare something new and exciting that this lady and I have up our sleeves! 

I leave you with a pic from yesterday.  Jon and I ran the Jared Coones Memorial Pumpkin Run.  My mom, stepdad and sisters all participated too.  It was freezing!  35 degrees at the start.  brrrrrrrrrrrr.  I finished in 34 min, 36 sec.  No world record, but I'm happy with that.  Especially considering I haven't ran for weeks, and I didn't walk at all!  Jon came in at 27 min, 15 sec.  He hurt his knee though.  I'm hoping it heals itself and doesn't give him many problems.  

I lied...

So, I was going to draw a winner for the giveaway....but I decided to give it through the weekend.  I know, I know, I changed the rules.  But, it's my giveaway, so I can do that!  I just wanted to keep the fun going a little longer and give more people a chance to enter.  Entries WILL be closed on Sunday at 9:00 p.m. central time and the winner WILL be announced on Monday morning!  {won't that be more fun to have a winner on a Monday anyway!?}

Those of you who haven't entered...go!  I've given you a second chance!  C'mon, don't be shy, you're giving me a complex!

How happy are you that tomorrow is Friday!?  I'm so happy!  I cannot wait for the weekend.  This is the first weekend in a loooong time that I can do whatever I like and not have to spend every moment getting ready for a show.

On my to do:

1)  Clean the house--Oh lord, it's a mess.  You know it's bad when I'm actually excited to clean!
2)  List more halloween/fall items in the store.  {like mumkeys...a.k.a. sock monkey mummies}
3)  Plan a trip to Texas to see my bestie and her beautiful babies!
4)  Pay bills.  eh.  They can't all be fun!
5)  Go to the farmer's market.
6)  Cook at least one delicious and nutritious meal.
7)  Hang my fall decoration on the front door.
8)  Make carmel cappaccinos....mmmm.
9)  Relax and love on my husband.


Hope you all have a beautiful weekend....Happy Friday!
And seriously...go enter!

happy birthday amanda!

Today is my best friend's birthday.  That's right, the mama of that little cutie pie from yesterday.

I've known Amanda for a very, very long time.  She's not just my best friend, she's like my sister.  We met on the first day of first grade, instantly bonding over the hairstyle misfortune of another classmate.  {that's a story in and of itself} We just got each other instantly.  In fifth

 grade, she moved away, but somehow we managed to stay the best of friends.  

I guess that's just what happens when you find someone who's soul you connect with.  Amanda has been there for me through everything, always just a phone call away.  

It's amazing to me that we were able to

 stay such good friends as kids without cell phones and internet.  We did it the old fashioned

 way:  15 minute allotted increments of long distance time, letters, and summertime visits. 

I don't know what I would have done through the years without you, Amanda.  Thanks for being my best friend for 23 years!  I love you girlie!

 I wanted to make a list of all the things I love about you, but that list would just be too long.

  We've got so many memories that I don't even know where to begin.  I'll just say it like this: 

 I love you cause you're you.  Happy birthday! ~jen