Announcement.

Three Announcements!
Just to show everyone what amazing little people Blake and I have in the fam!!!

1-Michael
-Graduated from school with straight A's and passed the gifted child test!
Go Michael! Woot Woot!2-Emaly
-Graduated Kindergarten with flying colors!
She's so smart! It's seriously ridiculous how smart this girl is!
I have a birthday card that she made me...So creative!
3-Cora Lynn-She made the AAA soccer team this week!!
She has seriously been working so hard all year for this!
Congrats are in order for all these amazing little people!
Hmm....Maybe the aunt and uncle will have to surprise them all with something special!
We're so proud of our fabulous nieces and nephew!!
Love you all!
-Blake and Jess.

Homeowners.

As of today...Blake and I now are proud owners of a home!This is very exciting news.
Blake and I have been together for almost 6 years now; married for 3.
We've been wanting to get into our own home for....Oh. Who knows how long?!
I kind of can't believe that it's actually happening!
We'll be moving in at the end of June after the sellers finish their relocation.
For now...
We're their landlords!!
(:

I love our home.
We had our final walk through today just before we went to close.
I can't wait until we move in.
Bring out the paint.
Purchase new furnishings and decorate this home...
Blake and I can't wait to make this home our very own!

And don't you worry...
We'll definitely be having a house-warming party!
You're all invited!!!
-Blake and Jess.

Graduation.

Mine and Blake's niece Cora Lynn graduated from the 6th grade yesterday.
Her school had a graduation ceremony and made diplomas for them.
It was really cute.
Cora Lynn was so excited.
Me, my mom, and Cora went out the night before to Kohl's and picked her up a cute little sundress for her to wear. She is so dang cute. It kills me.
When they called her name for her diploma, they announced she was graduating with High Honors. Only about 6 other kids in the entire 6th grade graduated with High Honors, so we were pretty excited for her. She was so nervous walking to get her diploma from her principal.
So cute.

I can't believe this girl is 12.
I was 12 when she was born.
That....Is crazy, my friends.
I have lived with this girl since day 1.
I consider her to be pretty much a little sister.
Blake and I are so proud of her. She is such a great kid and so smart. She works so hard.
At the beginning of the year she was "Needs Improvement" in her math and she ended the year at "Excellent." Such a little persistent bugger.

Cora Lynn...Blake and I love you so very much!
You are an amazing little girl!
I'm so happy that you are here and part of our family!
-Blake and Jess.

House.

Our closing date...May 25th.
Our move-in date...June 25th.

I'm beginning to become purely excited about moving into our house.
June 25th is going to come so fast!

I can't wait to decorate...Paint some walls, throw up some art, create a vibe, mood, style...whatever you want to call it.
I simply can't wait to have my own home.

I can't believe I'm going to be a homeowner this time next week.
Everything seems surreal.

My biggest fear...
Purchasing a lawn mower and maintaining the yard..
Oh geeze...I don't know where to start.
And I definitely don't want to be that neighbor with the shizzy yard that everyone dislikes.
That would be sad.
I need a lawn mower.
And some gardening advice, I guess.
Thanks,
Jess

Mother's Day.

Blake and I celebrated Mother's Day with both families on Sunday.
We went to brunch at Stephanie's house Sunday morning.
Such yummy food.
I love our traditional Mother's Day brunch. Yum, yum, yum.
This year we had french toast, ham, eggs benedict casserole, fresh fruit, breakfast rolls, and mid-morning approved screwdrivers.
So Good.

Later that evening we headed to my parent's house for a BBQ with my family.
Chicken, tortellini artichoke pasta salad, macaroni salad, baked potato, and a fresh garden salad.
So Good.
The weather was so nice this year that we were able to sit outside and enjoy our meal together.

It was so nice to get together with the families. I feel like we don't get to do it enough.
So Much Fun.
So Much Food.
Such a Great and Relaxing Day.

We love our Mom's.
They are amazing women.
I can only hope to one day become as amazing as my mothers.
With Love,
Jessica

Flogging Molly.

Was insane.
It was so much fun!

When we arrived the line was literally two blocks long to get in!
How crazy is that!
I didn't realize how huge of a following they have here in Utah!
The variety of characters in attendance was extremely hilarious!
Teeny boppers, Hippies, Grunge, Punk, Etc. Etc. Etc.
You name the character. They were there.
So...Flogging Molly seriously puts on a freaking kick-ass show.
It was so entertaining.
This man has some of the most fantastic energy I've ever seen.
He was Irish-jiggin' it all over the stage and singing his little Irish heart out.
It was awesome!
They played for nearly three hours and by the end of the show I was feeling exhausted.
Best of All...
They ended the concert with my all time favorite song, "If I Ever Leave This World Alive."

Every person in the venue was singing.
The drinkers...With their glasses raised.
The non...Pretending to have glasses to raise.
It was a freaking amazing show.Such a good time.
And who better to share it with then my husband Blake.
He's got a fare share of Irish blood in 'em now...

Loved the show.
I love the damn Irish.
Happy bunch, they are.
-Jess