Contest

Hi everyone,

I've entered a contest on Facebook through Kate Voegele (one of my absolute favorite musicians and an inspiration to me) called the Perform Beautifully contest. To enter the contest we were asked to submit a picture that demonstrates something we are passionate about. I posted a picture of myself and Emma, one of my past campers, who is a 17 year-old with Down Syndrome. Emma and I have a hilarious relationship and I can honestly say she is one of my favorite people in the world. She can always make me laugh and I'd like to think I can do the same for her. Throughout my 6 summers working with her, I have seen other campers grow to accept her and view her as the funny, happy person that she is--instead of only seeing the fact that she has Downs. The 10 contestants who get the most votes win a pair of Kate's new Oakley sunglasses that she designed herself. Of course I would love to win the sunglasses because I sure can't afford a pair of Oakleys, but I am also hoping that when Kate posts the winners others will see my entry and start to view individuals who have Down Syndrome in a different way. That is where all of you blog readers of mine come in (however many of you there are). Below is a link to the page to vote for me in the contest. The contest ends on Monday, September 19th and you can vote once a day until then. It would mean the absolute world to me if you all could do that for me. Thanks so much. You are all awesome!

VOTE HERE!

Canvas Project

Some of you may remember one of my last few posts about a canvas painting project I wanted to try out. Well, last night I gave it a whirl and am pretty satisfied with the results! I have not hung it up yet, but I know where I want to hang it and have a feeling it will brighten up my extremely boring white walls. Here are some pictures of the process:

Here I took four 8x10 blank canvases and created a design on them with masking tape. The design connects if you put the canvases together, but it doesn't have to. I am going to hang my canvases in a square, but spaced out so you kind of have to use your imagination to fill in the blanks!

After painting. I have couch pillows (thanks to my lovely grandmother for making them!) in a shade close to this color blue. I wanted to throw in another color for an accent here and there, so I went with a nice royal purple.

 And finally, after the removal of the masking tape. I waited until the paint was dry (difficult for someone with little patience like me to do), then peeled the tape off--it came off very easily.

Next step is just to hang them up. I'll try to remember to post another picture once it's up. What does everyone think? Anyone have other good crafty ideas for me to try? I've never been a very artistic person, but simple things like this might give me some good practice!

Wedding Bells are Ringing

Headed to Akron for another weekend at home and another wedding. I cannot believe my Frappy-Dappy is getting married! So looking forward to celebrating her special day with her tomorrow!

Also looking forward to seeing my best friend, Mo, and finally giving her her engagement gift! I cannot believe she is getting married! Wedding bells everywhere!

Will be sure to post about the wedding and whatnot after the weekend. Enjoy your Labor Day everyone, I will be spending mine at work--no rest for the Muskies!

*Don't forget to work on your September pictures logs!* :)

Creative Juices are Flowing

Lately I have been feeling kind of artsy-craftsy, creative, etc., which is very unusual for me, as I am not an artistic person! This has exhibited itself through my desire to make my apartment cute and homey and matchy-matchy. Tonight I have been looking online for ideas of art projects to decorate my wall. I think this one might be the winner:

Basically you just take a canvas, create a design using masking tape, then paint over it with whatever color paint you want, let it dry, take off the masking tape. Easy enough, right?! I am thinking of doing a royal blue-ish color to match my couch pillows and add some color to my VERY white walls!

I also stumbled across this lovely list at creativekeepsakes.com. It is a PDF file and since I am not tech savvy enough to insert that in my blog, I am just going to have to type it all out. Anyway, it is a list of pictures you should be sure to take each month. I think it is an excellent idea to make sure fun events get documented, and since today is the first of the month, I think it is the perfect opportunity to start this new project! Here is the list. If you feel inspired to play along, please let me know!

January:
Snowmen
Indoor play
People sledding
Stacks of sweaters
Firsts for the New Year
• First snow
• First new outfit
• First family dinner
• First book you read
Icicles along the roof
Kids bundled up to go outside in
the cold
A couple snuggling by a glowing
fire
Bowls of soup or cups of hot
chocolate
Family members taking down holiday
decorations

February:
Kids in pajamas
Favorite gadgets
Your loved ones
A romantic night out
Valentines you receive
Super Bowl party, food and decor
Mardi Gras decorations and
parades
Children creating valentines for
school
Valentine’s Day cookies, candy
or cupcakes
High-school sporting events,
like a basketball game or gymnastics
meet

March:
Your car
Kites flying
Your pet on a walk
Your exercise routine
March Madness events
• People filling in brackets
• Friends watching games
• Fans wearing favorite teams’
jerseys
Favorite Dr. Seuss books
The first signs of spring
• Flowers sprouting
• Tree blossoms blooming
• Baby animals playing
Children playing in the yard
Loved ones playing in puddles
after a rainstorm
St. Patrick’s Day festivities featuring
green
Flowers peeking through dirt or
snow
Your toes with a fresh pedicure
and nail polish
The yard after its first mow of the
year
Family members working in the
garden
Outdoor sports, such as soccer,
softball and tennis

April:
Rainbows
Friends hiking
Easter celebrations
• Religious activities
• Family dressed in “Sunday best”
to attend an Easter service
• Egg hunting
• Egg decorating
• Easter dinner
• New Easter dress
Umbrellas and rain boots
Flats of flowers

May:
Barbeques
Grandma’s hands
Prom happenings
Photos with Mom
Flowers in the garden
Mother’s Day presents
Cinco de Mayo celebrations
Students moving out of the college
dorm
Cemeteries decorated for
Memorial Day
People drinking mint juleps or
wearing hats for Derby Day

June:
Baseball games
Photos with Dad
Animals at the zoo
Outdoor activities
• Badminton
• Picnics
• Evening walks
• Backyard movies
Father’s Day events
Feet wearing flip-flops
Strawberries on the vine
Graduates dressed in caps
and gowns
Children on the last day
of school
Brides getting ready for
the big day

July:
Farm fields
Family reunions
Camping activities
Fun in the sun
• Water fights
• Sunbathing
• Pool time
• People boating
• Swimming lessons
A concert in the park
Girls playing Hula-hoop
Ice-cream or snow cones
Watermelon ready to serve
Fourth of July celebrations
• Firework displays
large and small
• Parades
• People wearing red,
white and blue
• Flags flying
• Military personnel in
full regalia
A boy holding a worm,
frog or bug

August:
Sprinkler fun
Corn on the cob
Summer sunsets
People on bike rides
Vacations and travels
A pitcher of lemonade
NFL preseason parties
A couple holding hands
Back-to-school shopping
County, town or state fairs

September:
Football games
Tailgating parties
Fishing excitement
Family in sweaters
Apple-picking events
Freshly baked cookies
Leaves changing color
Visits with grandparents
Happenings on the first
day of school
• Catching the bus
• Wearing the first-dayof-
school outfit
• Packing the first lunch
• Meeting the teacher
• Stacking the kids’
schoolbooks
• Seeing or walking into
the new classroom
• Reading the school
schedule
• Buying new backpacks
and shoes
Car rides through the
canyons or mountains

October:
Hayrides
Bare trees
Scarecrows
Corn mazes
Haunted houses
Pumpkins at night
World Series parties
Kids jumping in piles of
fallen leaves
A train rolling across the
golden landscape
Homecoming celebrations
at school

November:
Baked pies
Geese flying south
Family gatherings
Thanksgiving dinner
• Loved ones preparing
the food
• People setting the table
• Home decor
• The family at the table
• People watching a
game after dinner
Black Friday madness
The first snowfall
Family photo shoot for
holiday cards
Dogs or kids playing in
the first snow
Thanksgiving leftovers in
the refrigerator
Family members turning
on Christmas lights

December:
Hockey games
Snowball fights
Canned-food drives
Community service
Friends sharing a laugh
Menorah being lit
New Year’s Eve parties
Family gathered around
the fireplace
Slippered feet lined up in
a row or in a circle
Christmas activities
• Gifts being wrapped
• Holiday shopping
• Cookie plate placed
out for Santa
• Children writing letters
to Santa
• Loved ones visiting
Santa at the mall
• Home decor
• Nativity scenes
• Carolers
• Trimmed trees
• Mantle with your
hung stockings
• Outdoor decor
• The holiday table
• Shopping bags filled
from mall outings

Oh, and if you have any other creative crafty ideas for me--bring 'em on!

Flashback: 6 Years

Today was freshman Move-In Day here at Muskingum University. For the majority of the day I was in my office at work and was away from the mass chaos, but during lunch I returned to my apartment for some relaxation. It was then that I flashed back to my own freshman move-in day six years ago at good old B-Dubs. I remember being nervous, hoping my roommate would be as normal in person as she sounded on the phone and on Facebook, and I was scared about leaving my high school boyfriend at home while I was left to face college all by myself. At Convocation that day, all I could think was, "Jessica, you made a mistake. This is not for you. You don't want to be here." I was scared to death and the thought of my parents leaving was unbearable--surprising coming from someone who did not have the best relationship with their parents at the time.

I'm sure some of the freshman here were thinking the same things I was. Starting college is both exciting and scary at the same time. There's the excitement that goes along with going to Target and picking everything out for your new dorm room and thinking about all the things you can do now that you will be "living on your own." And then there's reality--who's going to do my laundry? What if I don't like what they're serving for dinner?

I look back at my college move-in day now and wonder what in the world I was thinking. If I could go back and do it again, I would still choose BW. I had the time of my life in college and cannot imagine a better experience. I can honestly say that the school was a perfect fit for me, and once I got through that first day things got a whole lot better. Yeah, it can be hard leaving your parents for the first time, but my relationship with my parents honestly grew stronger while I was away from them. And leaving my boyfriend behind? Well, it took me awhile to realize it, but it was the best decision I ever made. College can open your eyes to so many things that you were naive to before and give you a whole new perspective on life. It did for me. I miss those days--living in the dorms with my friends, staying up late just goofing around, using my Jacket Express to buy candy and movie tickets at the Candy Counter (sorry, Mom & Dad), and not having to really worry about the "real world."

To all of the college freshman out there--make the most of the next four years. You might be nervous or scared now, but the faster you get over it the quicker you will learn to love college and grow as a person. Cherish your new friendships, but don't forget about the ones at home, either. Live life. It's okay to make mistakes-we all do-just try not to be too stupid or obvious about it :)

It's fun living back on a college campus and being put in a situation that causes you to look back and reflect on your own experience not that long ago. It's crazy how much a person can change in that amount of time. Thank you, Muskingum freshmen, for reminding me of the good old days!

Opening Weekend--it POURED!

Homecoming with 21 Beech friends

Most of the 2005-2006 21 Beech-ers

Whirlwind Weekend

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to head home for the first time since the big move down south! It was a busy few days, to say the least, but many memories were made and I was thankful to be able to spend time with many family and friends.

Friday I left work an hour or so early to pick up Miss Bella from my apartment and start the journey home. Once in Akron, I dropped Bella off at my parents' house, got lots of kisses from puppy dog Scout, then got back in the car to drive to Strongsville. After a quick stop at Forever 21 (remember, I currently live in the middle of nowhere), I met up with good college friends to celebrate Elizabeth's 24th birthday at Buca di Beppo. Delicious Italian food, 5 good friends, followed by an interesting new board game. We had lots of laughs and am glad we were able to gather to celebrate yet another birthday.

The 5 of us at dinner

Saturday was an absolute blur, but I knew this going in. First up, Saturday morning. Quick stop with Chris to Subway for a nice breakfast sandwich (where was my favorite sandwich artist when I needed him?!) and then we drove up to Cleveland for the OROC (OutRun Ovarian Cancer) 5k. This was an event I have been looking forward to ever since I found out about it. My grandmother passed away from ovarian cancer when I was in kindergarten and I have never really had the opportunity to do something in memory of her. This was my chance. The event was huge and it was so inspiring to see all of the survivors there, along with the family members of others who were not so fortunate. I was amazed when it was announced that the t-shirts this year were designed by the youngest survivor participant--a junior in high school. Props to that girl for fighting and for being an inspiration to others. We had 9 people running for Team Uno (named after the card game I remember playing with my grandmother), and I am so thankful to those that participated. Everyone ran well, and the backdrop of downtown Cleveland didn't hurt either.

Haley and me before the race

Anna, Me, and Lindsey after finishing

After the race it was time to run errands, followed by get ready for wedding time! I left North Olmsted to head to Emily and Paul's wedding, which was an absolutely beautiful event. It seems like Emily and I are always missing each other when I visit my sister in DC, and it meant a lot to me to be able to share their special day with them. Both Bride and Groom looked wonderful and so happy to finally be married and living in the same state. I know they will have a beautiful life together and I pray that they fall more and more in love with each other each and every day.

Emily and her dad heading down the aisle

First kiss as husband and wife

Me with the new Mr. & Mrs. Glass!

After the wedding I drove back down to Akron for my dear friend Natalie's Bachelorette Party in the Valley! I met up with the group of girls after they had been out for awhile, but I sure didn't miss out on all the fun. At each bar Natalie had cards we picked for her that had different "dares" for her that she had to complete. Some of the ones she had to do while I was there were to ask a guy to show her a hidden tattoo, steal a sip of someone's drink without them knowing, and find a guy to take off his shirt and flex his muscles for everyone at the bar. Needless to say, not everyone was cooperative, but we found some pretty interesting guys to participate. Any time I spend with my friends from home is a blessing, and I am so looking forward to Natalie and PJ's wedding in just EIGHT DAYS!!!

Natalie and Me shortly after I made it to the bar

Natalie, Me, and Britt--high school buddies

Needless to say, I was exhausted after Natalie's Bachelorette Party and slept in pretty late on Sunday. However, when you're a Brady sister and you are visiting home, it is absolutely necessary to go on a shopping trip with Mom. So that's what I did. My mom and I spent the day together running to a few stores, having lunch, and then meeting up with Dad to see the Vietnam War Memorial that was set up near a cemetery in Fairlawn. It was a replica 3/4 the size of the wall in Washington, DC and it was just as emotional as seeing the real thing. There were also pictures and memorabilia (if you can call it that?) from the war. Of course, the Army was there, and it was kind of a reality check to see the men in their uniforms, the guns, etc. (I guess I forgot to mention in my last blog, Chris joined the Army and is leaving in November). Two of the nice soldiers decided I needed to learn how to throw a grenade, so they taught me. Apparently my 12 years of softball paid off because they said I would've hit and killed my target. Thanks, Coach Dad!

Learning how to throw the grenade

 The wall

After heading home from our shopping excursion, I made the trek back down to good old New Concord to get ready for another week of work. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend and I am looking forward to my next trip home (next weekend) to spend more time with more family and friends!

Greetings from New Concord

Hello, friends!

It has been quite some time since I have updated you all, thanks to some issues with Gmail, but I am back and ready to blog!

I am officially living in the lovely village of New Concord, Ohio, and I must say it has been a bit of a culture shock. Let me try to give you an idea of this place. I am living on campus at Muskingum University in an apartment. From campus I can walk to "town" which consists of the post office, the bank, the library, an ice cream stand, a Subway, a pizza place, a grocery store, and a Circle K. There are other random places such as a vets office, a dentist, etc. That's about all there is unless you drive another 15-20 minutes away. There is a farmer's market on Mondays (which I plan on checking out this week) and a winery (a 10-15 minute drive) that I checked out this weekend. Beyond that, trips to Cambridge and Zanesville are necessary. It is a dry town so the college students have to drive down the street about five minutes to a drive-thru if they want to buy any alcohol. My description does not even do this place justice...you have to see it for yourself.

As far as my new life here, I am enjoying it so far. I have met several coworkers who are around my age and who are also a lot of fun to hang out with. They have been so nice about including me in their get-togethers since day one and I have appreciated that so much. My job is going well, but I will like it so much better once students get here and I get to really start counseling them (I didn't get this Master's degree for nothing!). I am still getting my apartment organized and decorated and hope to post pictures once that process is complete. There is not a ton of storage so I feel like there is clutter, but I am trying to find creative ways to handle that situation.

This weekend I am heading to Akron/Cleveland for a crazy busy weekend that includes a friend's birthday, a 5k, a wedding, and a bachelorette party. I have a feeling it will be fun but not super relaxing.

I promise to keep you all posted now that I have this thing back up and running. Thanks for reading!