Covert Mission

For the past month I have been working on a covert mission. Seeking advisory only from those I trust the most. Maybe trust is not the right word, a more accurate description would be seeking advisory from people I knew would provide me with correct information and tossing up prayers they could be trusted with top secret information. Once it was all said and done my advisors were more than trust worthy, they were highly instrumental in throwing Matt a surprise birthday party he will not soon forget.

The pictures will do a much better job at expressing how much fun was had than I could every dream of doing myself……enjoy!!




Surprise!!!








Friends....




The Ghostbusters were not on the invite list but we let them join in on the fun nonetheless!!



Slimmer had to stay in the car but we all went to visit him.



Food (can't beat cupcakes from my kitchen)......




and way tooooo much fun!!!!

It was a wonderful evening, filled with friends, fun and a happy birthday boy....mission accomplished!



Love ya,
JB

It was 1977

Matt and I celebrated his birthday last night with presents,

yummy Italian cuisine, a movie and some wine.

Wait, let me step back a few hours and even days. I was about ready to jump out of my boots all day due to excitement over one of his birthday gift. I am not a creative genius, we all know this, but my brother he is….no lie! I wanted to do something special for Matt, something unique, something that would be timeless and something he would value. That was quite the list of stipulations this birthday gift had to align with, that being said I pulled in the big guns. Urban Script was going to help my crazy mess of an idea come to fruition.

I called my brother………..

What up G?

Nothing just working, what are you doing?

Oh nothing, just sitting around twirling my hair.

Ummmmmm, okay.

Hey, I have a random question for you.

Yes.

Sit down and brace yourself, are you ready, I mean really ready? I have been thinking, earth shattering I know and even more shocking I have an idea.

You are so weird! What is your idea?

Can you help me with a brain child for Matt’s birthday?

What is that?

I want to do something regarding his initials or year he was born, calligraphy and all the important milestones in his life.

Okay I will see what I can draft up.

Great thanks! Talk to you soon, love ya!

Love you.

My brother is a man of few words. And I would like to state for the record it has nothing to do with the fact I spoke for him as a child, anyone that tries to tell you that, run far and run fast, they are lying.

After many phone calls, emails, questions asked of Matt and having a creative brother I was able to give Matt a birthday gift that I felt met all the objects laid out at the start of this project.

November 3, 19??

Matt is turning another year older or younger; I think he is a little bit confused which direction one is to count when another birthday comes around. Where most of us reluctantly count up in our years of age, Matt….well he likes to count down. He is turning 28 today, that is what he thinks and I just don’t have the heart to tell him otherwise.

Happy Birthday Matt!!!!

P.S. His birthday gift is super awesome, I will post pictures and share details tomorrow.

Faith Adriel Rickey

Labor Day weekend I went down to Houston to visit my very pregnant best friend Nicole. We had a great time, however we were all ready for baby Faith to get here.



Last week this little angle became a big sister to Faith Adriel Rickey. Precious Faith arrived on October 25th at 1:45, 6 lbs 13 oz.



Antie Jen can’t wait to make a trip down to Houston to squeeze some love out of Hope and meet Faith.



Love and miss all my Houston girls!!!!

November 1st....REALLY?

I realized the other day that my blog has more or less been nonexistent since I started my job at Komen. Well let’s be real, I didn’t just realize this, I have been trying to keep you guys updated, I pinky swear!! However we had this thing called Race for the Cure that was a tinny tiny bit of a time commitment, then October rolled into my life just as the race ended. October may not seem like a whir wind month for you, but for me…the girl at the Tulsa Komen office that oversees all the education and speaking engagement, October flew by at rocket speed. I feel as though I woke up yesterday and it was October 1st and when I woke up today it was somehow November 1st. All that to say, my life is (keep your fingers crossed) calming down for me a bit so I hope I can breath some life back into my blog.

This week will be filled with a lot of yummy goodness……….from precious new babies to yummy treats to birthdays. Stay tuned for all the fun, exciting, tummy satisfying details.

Until tomorrow,
JB

Number 35

Last Friday I made the long drive to Fairview to watch my baby cousin, who is now 17, play in his last Fairview Homecoming football game.



That is him....number 35, right there in the middle, the mini giant, you see him? He is no baby anymore, where have the years gone.



Fairview kicked some serious tail.



What an honor it was to there to watch Mark play.

Love ya,
Jen

Random but fun.

I have been working on a project which I will divulge in more detail at a later date; however it required me to look up some unique, fun, random and interesting questions that could be asked of someone. I thought, it might be fun to answer some of the random questions here on my blog about myself. So here it goes…….

What was the best vacation you ever had? It is a tossup between going on a cruise with my best friend after graduating college or going to Chicago with Aunt Susie and Maggie. Both trips were extraordinarily fun and I was able to spend quality time with people I hold near and dear to my heart.

What is the first thing you notice in the opposite sex? Eyes, teeth and personality.

Are you afraid of the dark? I am afraid of being outside in the dark by myself, but I am not afraid of the dark in my locked apartment.

What are you afraid of? Fire, snakes, snakes, snakes, oh and snakes!!!

Are you a giver or a taker? I LOVE to give!!! I give hugs, I give gifts, I give of my time, I give baked goods, I give complements, I give encouragement, I feel as though I was born to give!

What am I grateful for? My blessed life, full of amazing people, extraordinary family, a rewarding career, my health, my happiness, my life!

Do I care what others think of me? Yes and no but more no! I try to live my life with respect, honor, dignity and grace. If someone does not like me because of that, that is on them not me.

What has had the greatest impact on my life? My relationships…….I have had some profound mentors in my life (God, family, friends, teachers, professors). I don’t have enough time to share a story about everyone that has impacted my life in one way or another, but I will say that without the relationships I have been blessed with I would not be the women I am today.

What is the best advice you have received? To never settle.

Love ya,
Jen