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Vest by Nike, jeans by Vince, boots by Loeffler Randall.

A poem. Thoughts on New Years.

New Years

A time of new beginnings 

Fresh starts from past brokenness 

Redemption

Self-improvement

Healthy living

Exercising one's body, mind, soul

Cleansing

Opportunity

New outlooks on relationships,  life

Seeking what brings joy 

Fulfillment

Forward

Taking the leap

Trying on newness 

Risking it all

New Years 

Equalizer for all

Not alone

Renewed hope

May your year bring joy, adventure, newness, and love.

XOXO

Jennica

127:365

Hat by San Diego Hat, Zip-up by Campus Drive, jeans by Joe's, flats by Me Too.

Ducks for the win!! I'm proud to be a Duck every day but I'm even more proud to be a Duck on a day like today, with such a great win! Mariotta delivered and we had a couple interceptions to give us a nice cushion on the scoreboard. Other than a completely ridiculous non-call on the most obvious face mask I've ever seen, it seemed like a pretty clean game.

Congrats to Mark and his team on a successful season, and seeing as this is a pretty young team, cheers to a few more ;).

XOXO,

Jennica

PS-I went with the pigtails today since my hair is getting just long enough for it. I can't say it makes me look more mature by any means, but it's more of a fun look for game day. Win the Day!!!

126:365

Shirt by Nike, jeans by Rock & Republic, Sky Hi's by Nike.

Christian Dior wrote a little Alphabet for Fashion book. Below are Christian's thoughts on fashion and individuality. After stating that 

"...individuality will be always one of the conditions of real elegance." 

Christian says this from The Little Fashion Dictionary:

Available for purchase at Mapel Boutique in Bridgeport Village

I've noticed that some of the things that I get rid of most often are the trendy pieces. In a short time, one can spend a lot of buckos on things that are in at the moment. Instead of going with what everyone else says you should wear, ask yourself what looks best on your body type? What makes you feel the most confident? What expresses who you are the most? Then wear whatever "that" is and go stop traffic.

Sky Hi's 4 Life...

Jennica

125:365

Sweater by Hurley, jeans by Seven for All Mankind, heels by Michael Kors.

Tonight, I had the opportunity to experience the Festival of Lights at The Grotto. As you walk in, the trees are glowing with light from the thousands of strands of beaming Christmas lights. After paying an admission fee, our group of friends strolled through the walkway, enjoying the lit scenery, all the while embracing the story of Christ's birth.

I have to say, my favorite part of The Grotto is stepping up to the majestic 110 foot rock wall with a cave carved in the lower half. Inside the cave is the shrine to center those seeking to connect spiritually. Though we didn't get to go to the top where there is more of a garden and a prayer room overlooking the entire city of Portland, we did get to enjoy a performance of an acapella group, Men In Black. They sang many holiday favorites which echoed beautifully through the heights of the charming chapel.

If you haven't had a chance to check it out, there is still time to enjoy some holiday festivities! Take your kids, take your husband, family, and friends and take in the view. Check out the schedule - lots of great musical performances to come!

There's still time for some holiday fun ;)

Jennica

124:365

Striped tank by Valerie Bertinelli, sweater by Will Smith, jeans by Joe's Jeans, heels by Jessica Simpson.

"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

~Anais Nin

Which risk are you taking?

Jennica

123:365

Jacket by Nike, scarf refashioned from vintage dress, shirt by Xhiliration, leggings by B.P., Sky Hi's by Nike.

I just picked up a book titled, You Are A Badass: How To Stop Doubting Your Greatness And Start Living an Awesome Life. Now I don't necessarily like to always admit what book I'm reading at the time as it tends to be a reflection of myself in some way or another. I have to say - this book is one of those books. However, I don't think the title of the book really explains the actual purpose behind it's egocentric title.

Honestly, it's more of a self-help book, encouraging one to spiff up weaknesses in one's life, pick themselves up off the couch, get rid of self doubt and whole-heartedly go after whatever goals and dreams one desires to prance, sprint, fly after. The author is a little crass, but that's part of what makes it so interesting. I'm looking forward to a fresh perspective, thoughtful insight, and blunt bossiness in hopes of shaping up areas that need growth in my life.

Pick it up. Check it out. Let me know what other great books are out there!

Jennica

122:365

Sweater by Charlotts, jeans by Seven For All Mankind, heels by Cole Haan.

Merry Christmas!!  I hope you were all able to celebrate today with family and friends. Today I chose to go with the velour skinnies and a cardigan with jewel and sequin details. I thought both would be quite festive for holiday attire. If I were attending a holiday party, I would have gone with a black dress and LOTS of gold jewelry! Keep that in mind if you're looking for a New Years Eve get-up ;).

Because I spent all day with family, there is no time for an in-depth blog post today, but I will say that this day marks 1/3 of the way done with my project!! What a perfect day to celebrate! I've made it this far - there's no going back! Things to look forward to in blog posts to come? More kitty pictures of course..., clothes that haven't seen daylight from my closet yet..., a peplum I will be making from a pattern using vintage fabric, and handcrafted jewelry by moi (It will be for sale so don't be bashful if there's a piece of jewelry you want...)!! Woot woot! I'm thrilled with what the next two thirds of my project hold, and am anxiously awaiting what else I can learn from rejecting consumerism.

merry christmas & a happy new year! 

xoxo

Jennica

121:365

Vintage sweater by Eber International, jeans by Pilcro & and Letterpress, heels by Charles David.

My message is simple today. Remember the reason for the season. Cheesy, I know, bur for me - without even realizing it, I get wrapped up in all those silly little details that just don't matter. Remember to give thanks, to unplug, to make eye contact, to offer to help, to ask questions, and above all, acknowledge the true meaning of CHRISTmas.

Love you to all, safe travels, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

XOXO

Jennica

PS - Below are images from my most recent kitty holiday photo shoot... They loved every minute of it ;).

120:365

Sweater by Cynthia Rowley, C&C California, jeans by Dylan George, boots from Target.

Elf Yourself videos never get old. With that said, I say no more and leave you with this video...

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Jennica

119:365

Sweatshirt by J. Crew, tank by Roxy, sweats by Nike, loafers by Sanuk.

That's right, I'm wearing sweats...It's one of those days where I was just getting stuff done around my place and never made an appearance in any public places. Love those days...

In the spirit of Christmas, I thought I would share about one of the gifts I received for Christmas from a student. He handed me two gifts stacked on top of each other; one in basic holiday wrapping paper, and the other wrapped in toilet paper. After opening the top gift, I was thrilled to find reindeer poop. Yes, reindeer poop. Quite delicious I must say. And crunchy too... It turns out that reindeer poop is a fancy name for chocolate covered toffee - my favorite...After recovering from my ecstatic state over reindeer poop, my student leaned in and quietly assured me, "You'll understand why the next gift is wrapped in toilet paper after you open it..." Perplexed as to why anything being wrapped in toilet paper would make sense, I cautiously proceeded.

After practically unraveling the roll...I came to find a book in my hands. But not just any book. It was a book that I imagined being showcased in Urban Outfitters, or some eclectic Portland shop featured on Portlandia. I first saw the cover image of a pair of feet in sleek green heels photographed from the side of a bathroom stall, and then read the title and began to laugh histerically - The Best Places to Pee: A guide to the funky and fabulous bathrooms of Portland. I then looked to the bottom of the book to find that none other than his mother, Kelly Melillo, wrote the book! From potty puns to fascinating facts, Kelly takes a twist on taking a 'roll' as Portland's tour guide. Below is the link to her book. Check it out, and pick it up for a perfect last minute gift for a friend or family member's coffee table!! Good luck wrapping up your last minute holiday errands!

Gotta go,

Jennica

Kelly Melillo

The Best Places to Pee

118:365

Vintage sweater by Cherokee, belt by Nike, scarf by ??, jeans by Rock & Republic, boots from Italy.

So this was my attire for a low-key Christmas party. I have to say, I'm not sure what inspired this outfit, but it just happened. What did I learn from wearing this outfit to an indoor Christmas party with lots of people? Where there are lots of people, there is body heat, where there is body heat, it gets really hot. Where it gets really hot, people who wear sweaters start to feel like they're having hot flashes, and by 'people' I mean me. I was basically a thirty year old experiencing hot flashes on a minute by minute basis.

My advice to you? Don't wear sweaters to indoor holiday parties.

Jennica

117:365

 I made it to Christmas Break!!!  Hallelujah!!!

To top it off, I was able to celebrate Christmas with my bestie, Ashleigh tonight, who happens to be moving across the US...*sigh. We always celebrate Christmas by doing a fun holiday activity such as going to live music, or this round, dining at the Oregon Culinary Institute! If you haven't tried it, put it on your to-do list...De-LISH! It was $18 for a 4 course meal, plus booze (reasonably priced) which left us with a reasonable tab after a savory, delectable meal.

What made it even better was spending the time lost in conversation (and Prosecco), with no thought of potentially moving apart. Even while saying 'see you later' it didn't quite sink in. It was almost as if reality hadn't hit - I was in disbelief that I was no longer going to be able to call her for a last minute girl's night out, a home-cooked meal in, digging into real life over a glass of wine. Though some of those implications are true, Skype and phone chats will now be my silver lining.


Though change happens for better or for worse (in their case, for better!) it is still a reality, and it must be accepted and embraced. And this is not the end. She will be back, and our friendship isn't going anywhere.

Cheers to 'see you laters' and not goodbye.

Love you Yak!!!

Jennica

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Hat by Shokay, shirt by Tresics, jeans by Anoname, boots by Loeffler Randall.

Below is what has been going through my mind for the past week. Parents gleefully jump for joy when the school year starts...Teachers ecstatically leap for joy when Christmas Break finally rolls around.

Two weeks baby!!

XOXO

Jennica

115:365

Dress by Kersh. tights from Nordstrom, booties by Trouve.

Today, I attempted a Pinterest craft project with my class. My ultimate goal was to have students create a functional gift for their parents for Christmas, but wanted something that wasn't too complicated for kids, AND turned out cute in the end.

I ended up having my class make glitter reindeer on canvas. It's pretty basic and turns out looking modern. Here are the steps:

1. Buy a 9X12 canvas (or something close to that size)
2. Paint the canvas white if you would like, or leave it plain.
3. Print out a silhouette of a reindeer (or other silhouette of your choice).
4. Cut it out.
5. Trace it on the canvas.
6. Brush Mod Podge onto canvas to the edge of your tracing.
7. Sprinkle glitter on your canvas.
8. Let dry for a few minutes.  
9. Shake off extra glitter onto a plate to save for another craft project.
10. Hang for all to see!!

Now You would think that glitter wouldn't get too far from the tables and that we would be able to keep things pretty tame...Glitter. Was. Everywhere. After the craft, I humbly went to my custodian and asked to borrow the backpack vacuum and proceeded to vacuum for my entire lunch break...Oh man...This was the first, and will be the last attempt at using glitter with 28 fifth graders. However, I have to say, they were VERY helpful in cleaning up afterwards!!

In the end, it was totally worth it, and I'm hoping the parents appreciate their new wall art ;).

My coworker insisted on getting a picture of this...

XOXO,

Jennica

114:365

Sweater by Wearing Your Heart on Your Sleeve, scarf by B.P., tank by Xhiliration, jeans by Cello, boots by Steve Madden.

After putting on this outfit, I remembered how much I love the color of my tank top. Everyone has a color that makes their eyes pop!  It's just that when I used to shop, it wasn't a priority to buy clothing that complimented my eyes - this somehow slipped in during my knack for buying everything black....Down the road, I will be intentional about mostly picking things out in my Complimentary Color Wheel (CCW).

Next time you buy something, ask yourself if it's in the CCW.

XOXO!

Jennica

113:365

Above is a quote I came across and loved ;). There is definitely advice I need to take from this!!

Shirt by Born Famous Couture Clothing, sweater by Nike, jeans by iT! Jeans, shoes by TOMS.

Happy Monday y'all!

112:365

Sweater is a vintage hand-me-down from my mom, skirt by Tulle, heels by Seychelle.

Today, I had a chance to go to lunch with some of my extended family, as well as my mom, and during that time, my mom filled me in on the story of this green wool sweater I'm wearing today. It turns out that this was a sweater from her freshman year in college. But not just any sweater. Apparently when my mom went down to college, she really didn't have many clothes, and the ones she did have she had sewn - she's an amazing seamstress by the way...it wasn't too long after that my Grandma mailed a package of a few clothing items, and this was one of them. And it's still in perfect condition decades later!

I think most people from my generation and younger, including myself, have no idea what that would feel like to be in that situation. Back that it was very common that if you wanted  a new shirt, you went to the fabric store, bought a pattern and some material and sewed it for yourself. Or if you were going to buy something, it's not like there was a shopping mall around every corner. The clothing items that people had back then were much more special, and nothing was taken for granted. My mom said that it was very special that her mom mailed her those clothes, and it's very special that I have a chance to wear this very sweater too.

Don't take what you have for granted.

Jennica

111:365

Cowel neck by Michael Stars, jeans by MEK, heels by Report.

Tips to save money during the holiday season according to www.bankrate.com and none other than DJ Wolf:

1. Decide how much you can spend: Before you hop in your car to jet off to shopping madness, set a budget. Don't forget to include all the little things too, like postage, wrapping paper, and little stocking stuffer nick knacks.

2. Make a list and check it twice: Now make a list of people who you will buy gifts for, and based on your budget, decide how much you will spend on each person (including stocking stuffers!).

3. Pay with cash: This way, you will have a tangible way of knowing when enough is enough! You all know exactly what I'm talking about...That way,  you will also not be recovering from Christmas for months to come!

4.  Think of a credit card as a short term loan: Speaking of credit cards, if you absolutely have to use a credit card, make sure that you will be able to pay it off within the next month or so. Also be sure to use the credit card with the lowest interest rate, or cash back rewards.

5. Put yourself on your shopping list: Maybe this is against policy, but you know throughout the holiday season, you find an amazing deal here or there that you just can't pass up. Budget your splurge into the equation too.

6. Allow enough time for all your holiday preparations: With so many things to do; buying presents, wrapping presents, baking, shipping, cleaning, etc., plan ahead and allow extra time to get all of these things done. It's no fun to run last minute to the store, only to discover an empty shelf. This also helps you, your spouse and your kids to actually enjoy the season, rather than stress out.

7. Don't overlook  the value of intangibles: Sometimes the most meaningful gifts are the intangibles. Maybe your friend has been ripping her hair out, not having any room to breathe with the endless family obligations - offer to babysit so she can have a night on the town with her honey. Are you in-laws heading out of town for the weekend? Offer to take care of their pets for the weekend. Already baking cookies for a bumpin' party? Make a double batch and take a plate to your neighbor. It's so easy to get wrapped up in buy, buy, buy, and often giving others the gift of your time is more valuable.

 8. Send e-cards or an Elf Yourself video: These are more entertaining than snail mail cards and are free too!

9. Just say no to Toy Lust: This can be a great opportunity for you to teach your child - if you have one, or two, or ten - what it means to set a budget or make a realistic wish list. "Santa has to budget his money and supplies for all the boys and girls in the whole wide world."

10. Look for meaning over glitz: Just because you spend more money, it doesn't mean it's a better gift. Also, giving the gift of more time together, i.e. girls night out, by giving a Groupon or Living Social gift certificate, you're ensuring that you get more time to hang out together!

11. Plan ahead for next year: Do you have a big event coming up? Weddings, bachelorette parties, vacations, birthdays? Use this time during all the big After-Christmas sales to stock up for the year. This can save you money on things you will already have to buy down the road!

12. Do a gift exchange instead: Do you have a list of people to shop for that never ends? Do a gift exchange, draw a name for one other person, and instead of buying for 10, you've just cut your budget down by A. LOT.

13. Compare: Make sure to compare prices online prior to making your purchase. Just because it's in front of you at the store doesn't mean you need to buy it right then! Guilty as charged...

14. Online vs. in the store: Amazon is often times cheaper than the store and buying online will save you time and gas.

15. Shop after hours: Shop when stores first open or right before they close. You will save time and sanity and will avoid bumper to bumper traffic.

Above all else, Remember the reason for the season: Boycott the Halmark Christmas and be intentional about doing activities that recenter yours and your family's hearts on the spiritual side. Whether you celebrate Hanukah, Kwanzaa or Christmas, join together in fellowship with one another and share joy this holiday season.

Cheers. Don't let 'Hallmark' win.

Jennica