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Dress by Alternative, jacket by Levis, boots from Italy.

There's nothing better than throwing on a cotton dress without thinking and being absolutely comfortable at the same time! I love this dress and am bummed that I don't get to wear these booties with this dress again, or at least until the end of August - though that's getting closer every day...

Thoughts of the day:

So often I think we get wrapped up in the negativity of what's going on around us. I believe it's easier to be negative and dwell on negative than it is to be positive. Choose positive.

Stay afloat.

Jennica

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Sweater by Halogen, tee by Xhilaration, skirt by Will Smith, wedges by Guess.

Happy Monday y'all!  The weeks just keep comin' don't they...? Well I hope you're able to have a great week, you're productive, and you're able to stop and be present in each important moment, and I hope this week has godspeed so our weekend can begin quickly!  But as you're going through your week, when in doubt, ask yourself this question:

Make this week a great one!

Jennica

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Shirt by Bozzolo, pants by BCBG, Sky Hi's by Nike

I woke up this morning thrilled to be joining two friends for brunch and mimosas at a quaint little restaurant on the east side - The Press Club to be exact. I arrived, stepping through enormous french doors. As I walked in, framed character drawings of the likes of Jimmy Hendrix and Nicolas Cage decorated the walls, there was an aroma of beautifully designed cappuccinos, and sun shining through the windows, sneaking out from behind the clouds. Greeted by my two lovely friends, we exploded into conversation, both catch-up and contemplation, sipped on mimosas, savored our delicate berry-covered french toast and crepes (I mean devoured...), and laughter echoed through the cathedral ceilings.

Hours later, we finally made our way out the door, on a mission to find Derby hats for the weekend. Knowing there was a vintage shop around the corner, we thought we'd take a gamble. Xtabay Vintage was the name of the shop, and we were more than delighted to have arrived. Everything was so carefully placed, vintage apparel color coded with plastic covers over the shoulders of dresses to protect from dust, shoes lining the floor along with leopard print rugs and wood floors and fabulous hats of all kinds - every woman's dream!!  

While we were in there, I couldn't resist playing a little dress up with a fitted floral, tea-length dress along with a black Bo-Peep sun hat. Oh how I love vintage...At the same time, Megan and Lindsay were playing a little dress up of their own, scheming Derby hat potentials, flirting with eras of the past.

Carefully placing the glamorous hats back on their pedestals, we agreed to take a rain check on the hat purchases and left the security of the store to join the bipolar weather outside, going our separate ways.

A delightful afternoon. A ladies day out. I couldn't ask for more.

#stillplaydressupatthirty,

Jennica

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Dress by Flying Tomato, tights from Nordstrom, booties by Trouve.

Sometimes, one can't help but bring the lighting kit downstairs and do an impromptu photo shoot of her sweet Bella...Here's a few shots.

XOXO,

Jennica

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Tee by ??, jeans by Paige, loafers by Me Too.

What a nail biter!!  The Blazers fought a hard fight during Game 3 of the playoffs.  Towards the end, I could barely even watch!  There were so many exciting moments for the Blazers - they should definitely keep their heads up for playing a great game and look ahead to Game 4 on the home court. With their thousands of fans standing behind them, they can step up and show Houston who's boss. ;)

XOXO,

Jennica

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Scarf from China, blouse by Renuar, sweater by BCBG, jeans by Cello, heels by Report.

I wasn't sure what to write, and was so tired, that I just put my computer down and took a nap. After I woke up, I came across this Irish Proverb and couldn't agree more! :) Now I just need a good laugh...

XOXO,

Jennica

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Sweater by New York & Company, leggings by Saturday (I wish it was Saturday), scarf from T.J. MAXX, booties by MIA.

Last night I made Potato and Ham Soup for the first time and it was delicious.  The ham I didn't end up using in the recipe, I diced up, zipped up in a ziploc and threw in the freezer for another day. The only changes I made to the soup were using organic chicken broth, adding a little water so it wasn't so stew-like, and adding a can of corn. With soup I tend to follow portions loosely so my measurements weren't exact and it was still delicious. Check out the recipe here - it's worth a try!

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Tee by Xhilaration, skirt is a vintage hand-me-down from my mom, booties by Vince Camuto.

Growing up, I always had my hair in a braid of some sort, or hideous bangs that we won't speak

of...but as I was browsing Pinterest last night, I came across a mow-hawk braid that looked really cool. I wasn't really sure if I could pull it off, but thought I'd give it a shot. Not having a mirror as a guide didn't make things any easier but I made it happen. Here's how I did it:

1. Divide your hair into three columns.
2. Start at the top of your head, in the middle column, with three strands. 
3. Loosely braid the middle column of hair all
   
   the way to the bottom of your hair line.
4. Pull the two side columns tightly down to the bottom of the braid and use a ponytail to secure all of your hair.
5. Next, loosen the ponytail a little bit, and (in my case with medium length hair) tuck the end of the ponytail underneath and up into the braid to hide the ponytail. The gal in the first pic just braided the ends separately - so give that a shot if you have longer hair.
6. Voila! Mow-hawk braid! Though mine doesn't look A-mazing, my disclaimer is that it was my first time, the pic was taken later in the day, and I didn't use product!! The end.

XOXO,

Jennica

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Blazer by Semantiks, blouse by Forever 21, jeans by Seven For All Mankind, heels by Cole Haan.

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Sweater by Will Smith, jeans by Vince, flats by BCBG.

Happy Easter!!  I hope you found that your Easter day brought you joy with your family and friends. Whether you celebrate Easter religiously or just think the Easter Bunny is really, really cool, (let's be real - no one thinks that....) traditions and loved ones make this a special day, and I hope it was as special for you as it was for me.

On our last day at the beach, we parkoured our way out to the very end of the jetty, waves crashing - the ocean spray just missing our faces, standing in amazement of the vast expanse of endless ocean. Just
before we were about to make our way back in to the sandy shores, DJ spotted a sea lion! As we continued watching, there ended up being three emerging from the surface of the water, amidst infinite rows of spilling waves. They were sooooo cute and we could barely pull ourselves away. Nonetheless, we made our way back to the cabin, cleaning up, packing our things, locking the door behind us, and hitting the winding roads bordered with every shade of green, heading back for home.

I have to say, this was one of my favorite Easter weekends I've ever had.

He Has Risen!

Jennica

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Hoodie by Nike, layered sweater by Free People, leggings by B.P., kicks by Nike.

Today started out with some good grub from a Ma & Pa local diner, The Cow Belle. It was nothing fancy, but it didn't need to be. We then hopped over a couple tiny, oceanside towns to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, and the Blue Heron French Cheese Company for some savory wine accompanied by a delicate cheese plate. Amidst the endless shelves of wine at the local country shop, there was a cool new wine accessory I've never seen before. It's a long tube filled with gel that freezes, and has a rubber top that also pours out the wine.  Then you can chill the wine in the bottle without watering it down or getting the outside of the bottle soaked. I can't seem to find one online to show you a picture, but they're really cool and you should get one!  Or not and say you did. Either way, someone out there is really smart.

Keep it real,

Jennica

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Hoodie is from Rendered Clothing, sweats by Mossimo, shoes by TOMS.

Though the students at my school have no idea - pajama day for the whole school is a reward for the teachers too!  We get to wear our cozies and not think twice!

Not only was my day great because I go to wear my cozies to school, but I also got to go to the beach with my best friend, Mr. DJ Wolf. We got there with enough time to see daylight on the beach.  As we were strolling along the beach, sand between my toes, the sun setting between the clouds, and the constant breathing of the ocean, in, out, in, out, I was mesmerized by the beauty and stillness of the moment. Leaving footprints behind, we were searching for treasures in the sand, and all of a sudden, there lay a whole sand dollar!  What a simple, yet magnificent treasure it was!  We were overjoyed.

While writing this blog, I was interested to see if there was any legend or story behind the sand dollar, and came across something that gave me chills. Legend has it that the sand dollar represents the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus!!  We found the shell on the evening of Good Friday!!

Here is a poem written by an anonymous poet, explaining the connection of Jesus' life to the sand dollar:

Our Sand Dollar!

The legend of the Sand dollar

That I would like to tell

Of the birth and death of Jesus Christ

Found in this lowly shell. 

If you will examine closely,

You'll see that you find here

Four nail holes and a fifth one

Made by a Roman's spear. 

On one side the Easter Lily,

It's center is the star

That appeared unto the shepherds

And led them from afar. 

The Christmas Poinsettia

Etched on the other side

Reminds us of His birthday,

Our joyous Christmas tide. 

Photo Credit: From this website

Now break the center open

And here you will release

The five white doves awaiting

To spread good will and peace. 

This simple little symbol,

Christ left for you and me.

To help to spread His Message

Through all eternity. 

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Sweatshirt by J.Crew, fleece by The North Face, jeans by BCBG, kicks by Nike

Today, with a little extra time and energy, I figured out how to do a print module using my editing software.  I probably should have figured this out earlier, but I didn't. The end.  If you don't know what I'm even talking about, I'm now able to make a photo collage using my software, instead of emailing the pics to myself, creating a collage on my phone and emailing back...what a pain in the butt!  Now I can save time and energy, and my pics on my blog will be better quality!  Woohoo!!

Keep your heads up. The rain is a part of who us Oregonians are.  Accept it. ;)

Jennica

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Going off the theme, "Variety is the spice of life," that's how I like my workouts. Spicy.  Therefore, off to the pool I swam last night.  I used to swim a lot, and have to give credit to my swim conditioning class in college for my courage to attempt strokes like the butterfly, and holding my breath for five strokes instead of three...  Though I would put myself in the category of, "Holy crap I'm claustrophobic and don't like small, confined spaces," for some reason, I'm able to take a dip in the pool - especially the swim lanes - and stay for a while.

Staying with the theme of spice, while I'm swimming, I also can't do the same stroke over and over. BORING! So I choose a few strokes and alternate each time I go down and back. This helps the time pass, and I forget that I'm actually intentionally doing a workout where I restrict my breathing...Regardless, swimming is one of the best forms of exercise one can do. It's great cardio, great core strengthening, builds endurance, and much, much more!!  (Do a little research and you'll want to jump right in!)

It turns out that it only costs $5 at my local public pool and I'm sure it's about the same for you too! Swimming even just once a week may be just what you need. So I don't know about you but I'm going to just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

XOXO,

Jennica

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Sweater by Rubbish, tank by Imaginary Voyage, skinnies by Saturday, wedges by Merona.

Happy Tax Day!  I guess that could be a good thing or a bad thing.  In my case this year, it's a good thing. However, I apologize to anyone who has to pay the Benjamins to Uncle Sam. Ugh.  It's not easy. Been there, done that...and we all know:

Cheers!  And if you did get a refund - spend or save your money WISELY! ;)

Jennica

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Dress by Charlie Jade, sweater by Two Apples, wedge heels by Nine West.

Though my exhausted body and my heavy eyes yelled at me otherwise, I stayed up to watch the blood moon slowly show itself as the eclipse covered the moon's beaming yellow glow. Wrapped in a brown, fuzzy blanket, the midnight-chilled air still nipped at my skin - already covered in goosebumps.

Staring into the nigh sky, I will always have a mysterious wonder about what's out there. What lies beyond even our comprehension.  Does space end? Does space begin? If there's anything that points to creation, I would most certainly say that thinking about and gazing into space reminds me that Someone Else is in charge of this crazy planet, galaxy, and beyond! It's humbling to consider how minuscule we are in the grand scheme of things.

If you were smart and went to sleep at a rational time, then good for you. Watching it in elapsed time would be much more efficient anyway.  If you stayed up like me, then I hope you were able to catch an early bedtime tonight!

Photo Credit: www.fox13news.com

Adios!

Jennica

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Jacket by Levis, scarf by Shokay, tank by _______, shorts by See Through Soul, wedges by Guess.

All I will say is that the Blazers came out on top and I lost a few years of my life in the process...

XOXO,

Jennica

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Sweater by H&M, blouse by Romeo & Juliet Couture, jeans by Seven For All Mankind, wedges are vintage.

I was so excited to have the opportunity to go TEDx Portland this year!  The energy surrounding the event was electrifying and the elite speakers were absolutely mesmerizing. From every age and walk of life, they had a different story to tell, every story tying back to the theme PERFECT.  Though I could go on and on about every speaker, here are a few of the overarching themes I clutched in my mind and soul's grip, leaving Keller Auditorium.  

1. Perfect does not necessarily mean 'without flaw'.
2. Perfect means loving others and letting others love you.
3. Perfect means allowing opportunity for those who otherwise might not have it.
4. Perfect means to continually change and grow and not go back to the way you were before.
5. Don't let the fear of imperfection stop you from starting in the first place.
6. Perfect means chasing excellence.
7. Perfect means not giving up and eventually succeeding.
8. Perfect involves taking risks.
9. Perfect means to know when something is complete.
10. The way we view perfect must change.

Jennica

PS~The videos should be up from TEDx Portland 2014 in the near future so check them out for some inspiration and motivation!

Also, if you want a fun Vine to subscribe to - Zach King. Nuf said.

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Sweater by BCBG, tank by James Perse, skirt by Zenana

 I need to work on this having this mind set!

XOXO,

Jennica

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Tank by Rumors, sweater by BCBG, palazzo pants by Krisa, wedges by Guess.

Today is a special day.  Some of you may have heard - it's National Sibling Day! So I would like to take a moment to recognize my favoritist, most amazing brother for who he is and what it has meant to me to be his sibling and have him as mine.

Growing up, we had a love/hate relationship.  We were either best friends or worst enemies. Reminiscing over playing Ghost Baseball together where I was allowed 10 outs on  "my team" instead of three, secretly climbing on top of the slippery metal roof shed thinking it would be fun and falling off, landing on my back, my brother handing me the bat when we had just had enough of our mean rooster and now it was my turn, (don't worry - neither of us got him-we both ended up running the other direction!) picking, sorting, and eating blueberries until we were literally blue in the face - there was never a dull moment during my childhood.  Other than him breaking the news to me that there was clearly no Santa Claus when I was merely six years old, we could create fun and laughter out of nothing, and could spend hours doing it.

Let's just fast forward through middle school and most of high school where us getting along happened as often as Santa shaved his beard. But THEN, we had to carpool to school together... and THEN, I was accepted to University of Oregon (receiving the biggest hug I've ever received from my bro)...and THEN we got to go to college together...and THEN we were able to go to the Olympics together...and his is still my best friend thirty-some-odd years later from when our sibling bond first began.

Timon-I love how silly we can be together. I love our deep conversations. I love how we share a

passion for life and people. I love playing basketball with you. I love the record number of times we watched Robin Hood Men in Tights (Tight tights!) together. I love watching how amazing of a dad you are to little Alden. And I love that you're my best friend. I love you Timon, and I'm thankful to have you as a brother and a friend.

Cheers to sibling day!

Jennica (Sis)

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Denim jacket by Levis, scarf by Old Navy, dress by Flying Tomato.

Last night, watching The Voice, one of Blake Shelton's team members stepped onto stage, a thick southern accent, an authentic cowboy hat covering his brow, and boots that might as well have had spurs on them, and sang his heart out to the awaiting crowd. At the end of the performance, Usher spoke a few words and then asked him how he, himself thought he did. With his slow drawl, he replied that he messed up here and there, beginning to criticize his own performance.  Usher interrupted him, stating that;

"You first must believe in yourself before anyone else will."

What do you doubt in yourself? Believe, and your life will be richer.

Jennica

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Sweater by Free People, dress by H&M, belt by J.Crew, heels by Goffredo Fantini

According to the Adulthood scale: How Grown Up Are You? on good ol' Buzzfeed, I ranked 39 out of fifty, and received this explanation:

"You’re straight up GROWN. You’re independent, responsible, and mature, exactly as you should be. You know your way around a fun night and believe in having fun, but you don’t make other people clean up after you when you’re done. You’ve got life figured out, and everyone’s jealous. Congrats!"

Now if only that were all true!  Ha!  But I won't be taking this quiz to heart too much seeing as doing dishes, owning furniture and reading are to account for what determines so called "adulthood." However, year #31 is just around the corner and so the quiz has brought up a few things that I should really contemplate.

Though I was just told, aside from my epic fail of adult braces, I'm "straight up GROWN." Even so, I still don't quite feel like a grown up and I'm definitely convinced other people out there do! They always feel like a grown up AND act like one too. All the time. 

Apparently it's time for me to step up to the plate. There are some things that just can't be pushed aside anymore.  It may be time to buck up and make an email signature. I know - you're thinking I'm crazy right? Well nothing says, "I'm an adult" like email signatures. But the doozey?  Or should I say snoozey?? I hit that snooze button like Oprah gives away cars. There's nothing like waking up to realize you can squeeze in a feeeeeeeeeeeew more minutes of sleep. Regardless, I would probably appreciate the extra time sipping coffee, actually doing my hair, and not leaving a tornado in my wake.

Should I be an adult? In some ways yes.  In some ways no. But just remember - stay classy. ;)

Jennica

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Dress by Forever 21, jacket by Levis, and who knows where I got my scarf!

Well, at the end of the tournament, I can say that it's a good thing I didn't make any bets! None-the-less, I had a blast watching some of the big tournament games, (my Ducks in particular!) and I eeney-meeney-miney-mooed who I was going to root for tonight and figured the team who beat the number one seed team by ten or so was a pretty safe bet.  Go UCONN!!

I have to say, I was impressed with the Kentucky coach's attitude after the game.  It was exemplary of what it means to not 'loose' in the competition. He commended his team's performance and acknowledged things he could have done differently, as well as UCONN's strengths - hence him not playing the foul/free throw 'game' in the last seconds of the game. Yes, a team will always come out on top and they will always deserve it, but the journey to the tournament brings guys that have spent their whole lives dreaming, working, sweating, training, believing, and perfecting to arrive at this/these moments. And these moments never get old to watch!

As for the commercials, the WORST commercial by far was the Amazon commercial featuring Gary Busey. I cringed. 

Cheers to another exciting tournament!

Jennica

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Top by Soprano, sweats by Victoria Secret, loafers by Me Too.

If you haven't had a chance, check out the video that I posted today about how to tie a scarf!  Thanks to my friend Michele, I came across this video on Facebook- so helpful! Though I didn't wear a scarf today, I'll be sure to check it out next time I wear a scarf, and mix it up for once! ;)

Today was a sweats day for me, so I'm keepin' it comfy and casual.  You can always rely on Victoria Secret for a a cute pair of sweats or a flirty top.  However, they are over priced so only buy form them when they're having their special deals!

Cheers for now and here we go - another week already starts!

Jennica

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Houndstooth top by Trouve, jeans by H&M, boots by Loeffler Randall.

Well, my bracket is officially crap. As if it wasn't already....Florida was my only hope!  I can't believe they lost by so much - you would think both Final Four games would be down to the last second! And so seed 7 & 8 make it to the final match.  Who are you bettin' on??  

To get over my losses, DJ and I watched Anchor Man 2.  Pretty funny, but I have to say, the first one was better! So then I cut my losses and had stovetop popcorn.

That's a wrap for a low key Saturday.

Jennica

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Hoodie by Ralik, jeans by Seven For All Mankind, loafers by Me Too.

Tonight I went to McMennamins in Wilsonville with DJ and our friend Dave.  Beyond great convo, we made an order off the happy hour menu.  What caught my eye was none other than sweet potato fries. But they weren't just any kind of sweet potato fries.  They were Thai seasoned sweet potato fries.  I know, I know, you're thinking, "Why didn't she get the cajun tots?!"  Im tellin' ya - the cajun tots are amazing, but we DEVOURED the Thai sweet potato fries.  Give them a shot.  Your taste buds will thank you.

Jennica