Ohhhh, That's My JAM!

I LOVE MUSIC!!  Really, I love it!  My taste is very broad as you will see as you read this post.  You know that feeling when a song that you love comes on the radio?  You turn it up, start dancing and singing, and all of your worries suddenly for that moment seem to cease.  I wanted to list some of my favorite songs in no particular order.  Most will probably surprise you....some may not.  This could be a very long post!

1.  Kiss - Prince.....Dance every single time it comes one
2. Sara Smile - Hall & Oates....You know you like them too
3. Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
4. At Last - Etta James....First Dance  Enough Said
5. My Girl - Temptations.....Father-daughter dance at our wedding....wonderful
6. Notion - Kings of Leon...new favorite
7. Do Ya' - K.T. Oslin
8. Jungle Love - The Time
9.  Golddigger - Kanye West
10. One More Try - George Micheal
11. Father Figure - George Micheal
12. Billie Jean - Micheal Jackson
13. Way you make me feel - Micheal Jackson
14. Multiply - Jamie Lidell
15. In the air tonight - Phil Collins.....gets me fired up for football
16. Don't Stop Believin - Journey....this is pretty much on everyone's list right?
17. Hypnotize - Notorious B.I.G.
18. Word Up - Cameo
19. Into the mystic - Van Morrison....VERY close 2nd first dance song for our wedding....LOVE IT!!!
20. Single Ladies - Beyonce.....uh oh uh oh uh oh uh oh
21. Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
22. Not Ready to Make Nice - Dixie Chicks
23. If I were a Boy - Beyonce
24. Keep on Smilin - Wet Willie.....feel good song
25. Money Can't buy It - Annie Lennox
26. Cold - Annie Lennox
27. Stormy Weather - Etta James
28. Chain Chain Chain - Areatha Frankiln
29. Strip My Mind - Red Hot Chili Peppers
30. Strut - Shenna Easton....oldie but goodie
31. Empire State of Mind - Jay Z & Alicia Keys
32. Hallelujah - Rufus Wainwright

I could go on and on and on but I will stop there.  So, what are some of your favorite JAMS???

Jana: A to Z

Age: 30.....oh that hurt

Bedsize: Queen but we desperately need a King!!

Chores that you hate: Mopping

Dogs: 0  :(

Essential start to your day: Spark and breakfast

Favorite color: Green

Gold or Silver:  Silver

Height: 5'9"

Instruments you play: None

Job title: Teacher

Kids: Cooper Jaxon Cooley : almost 4 :( , Avery Lawson Cooley : 2

Live: Laurel

Mother’s Maiden Name: Lawson

Nicknames: Some people called me Jana Banana in high school which was pretty lame...

Overnight hospital stays: Just with the birth of my two babies

Pet peeves: Snobs, Bad (dangerous) drivers,  Women who refuse to bump it up a size in clothing (I KNOW it's hard!), people who blare loud vulgar music from their car....GROSS!

Quote from a movie or tv show: "Why don't you go get something to eat, I know you hungry.  Naw see I done ate three times before I came"  Friday.

Right or Lefty: Lefty

Siblings: 2 brothers. One sister

Time you wake up: 5:15

Underwear: Just good, comfortable ones that promises no panty lines....I hate that

Vegetable you hate: Broccoli

What makes you run late: Toddlers

X-Rays You’ve Had: My teeth

Yummy food you make: Spaghetti

Zoo Animal: Monkeys

The Next Step...

Tonight will mark the next step in Justin's career as a football coach.  He is now the Defensive Coordinator at West Jones.  To most people this is not a big deal but I am pretty dang proud of him. Yes, I brag on my husband because I believe he is good at what he does and I am excited for him!  Truth be known, I will probably tear up when I see him tonight on the sidelines.  Silly, yes.....but I can't help it.  I am just so darn happy for him!!  We talk about the future all of the time.  He has been blessed to work with some amazing coaches over the years.  He is beginning his 6th year at West Jones and we have one of the best coaching staffs in the state but I guess I am a bit partial  ;).  We've made some wonderful friends along the way who have now gone on to other schools (miss you guys!!) I am formed lifelong friendships with some of the other wives that I will cherish long after we leave West Jones. Although it's a tough and aggravating job that Justin chose I am proud to be a coach's wife.    I can't wait to see what the future holds! 

GO MUSTANGS!!!  BEAT THE TIGERS!!!

Justin and Coach Graves

What I'm wanting.....

I'ven been inspired after reading a fellow bloggers post.  Thank you Annalee....  http://aarpatrick.blogspot.com/


Here is what I am wanting lately........

HOBO wallet.  I will be purchasing this soon!!!  Like BUTTA!!!

I would rock any single pair of these driving mocs if I owned them.  Love them!!

I need a new pea coat......in green of course!!

I'll take this cozy Patagonia pullover

or this one......Hotty Toddy  ;)

                                                 This would work for rainy ballgames just fine.

This is what my backsplash in my kitchen will soon look like......hopefully.  Hear that Jusitn????

See those fabulous whitewash cabinets?  I want to do that too!!  That might take a little longer....

Dream Kitchen!!

Well, that is all for now.

Back to wreath making................

Moss Letter Wreath

I made this the other day.......

I have seen similar (sorta) ones at Pottery Barn for $79.  See below

I made mine for $12 and I am going to tell you how.

I used the following materials.....this is for all of you visual gals like myself :)

Foam Board.  I found mine at Hobby Lobby (Heaven on Earth) for I think $5.  I got the 1/2 inch size

After I drew my letter on the foam board I cut it out using my handy dandy exacto knife.  I think I regular knife would work though.  The foam board was pretty easy to cut and work with.

I bought some green spray paint so the white foam board wouldn't show through at all.  I just took my letter "C" outside and gave it a quick spray.  It only took maybe 30 minutes to dry.

I found my Spanish Moss at Walmart.  I used almost a bag and a half.  It was $2 per bag.

Then I used my glue gun to glue the moss in place.  There is really no method for this.  I just pulled a handful out, squeeze some glue on my letter, and mashed it into place.  I burned my hand several times....OUCH!  Oh, that moss is VERY VERY messy!!  Don't even try to clean up until you have the wreath outside!
After you have all of the moss on and all of the little holes filled, hold up the wreath and trim off the excess with scissors.  You will basically trim and clean it up like a shrub. Hang it with a ribbon of your choice and that is it.

P.S.  If you make one I want to see it :)

Keepin it real

Here are a few things (more than a few) that I don't like to say out loud so I decided to put them here:

1.)  Having a boy I have found myself falling into that mommy category that I don't want to be in.  I'm not sure if it's because his dad and my dad are coaches or what but I WANT and EXPECT him to at least be average in sports.  I want him to be competitive, athletic, coordinated, and a jock.  Yes, he is 3....I know this.  I want him to be well-rounded and multi-talented...not just with sports.  BUT....I do want sports to be one of his traits.  That was tough to even type.  I feel so guilty.

2.)  I think (obsess) about my weight every hour of the day.  Literally!!! I daydream about being back in a single digit size and having skinny arms.  Actually not being disgusted of pictures of me.  Not constantly critiquing my body and being excited about shopping for MYSELF not just my kids.

3.)  I am sooooo not good with confrontation and that really disappoints me.  I have always wanted to be one of those girls who could speak her mind to anyone anytime.  Not me....uh huh.  I could count on one hand when I have mustered up the courage to say something.  It really has to be something that bothers me...i.e. husband, kids, family.  I would so get kicked off The Real World.

4.)  I think I am way too hard on Cooper sometimes.  I have that fear that our kids will have that "bebe kid" reputation.  You know, the "Oh God!  He comes Cooper!  He is terrible!!"  I really try to stop, breathe, and relax but sometimes I fail!  I whip my kids.  I don't beat them...but I whip them.  My parents whipped me and it worked.  I do find myself feeling regretful at night sometimes for yelling too much or losing my cool.  Parenting......Gah it's hard!!!!!

5.)  I worry....a lot.  Thank you mother.  I know that is part of being a mother but I worry myself silly sometimes.  Thankfully, I have a husband who isn't afraid to tell me to get ahold of myself a chill out!!!

6.)  I sometimes think I could have done more.  Now, don't get me wrong.  Teaching is a tough job!  There are many many things I love about my job.  I just think sometimes that I could have went in a different direction I guess.  I'm not really sure what direction it may have been really.  I do REALLY regret one thing.  Not going off to college.  Justin and I both regret not going to Ole Miss or anywhere but Southern.  USM was OK but neither of us got what we think was the REAL college experience. 

7.)  I think one of the coolest jobs on the world would be an entertainer/actor. GLAMOROUS!!  I know that is RANDOM but I have ALWAYS wanted to be one or the other.  I can neither act nor carry a tune in a bucket but one can dream right.  When I was young, I would get home from school, put on our Grease record or Paula Abdul tape and sing in a broom. I was a freaking rock star or at least I thought so!  I was home by myself.....I didn't do this in front of anyone OK.  Just me, myself, and I.  

8.)  I am terrified of getting sick.  To more specific.....skin cancer.  I have touched on this before but this is a touchy subject for me.  My last visit to the dermatologist kind of scared me in a way like never before.  I was sitting there listening to Dr. Roy talk to me about all of these different treatments we could do.  As he was talking to me I started to feel very emotional and I have no idea why.  Justin was with me so I acted like everything was fine but for some reason this fear just kind of washed over me.  I constantly worry that one day I'm going to find a spot that's going to be the serious one.  I've already had so many places burned, scraped, cut, and frozen that doctors are even surprised.  I then think how selfish and petty of me.  It's just a little skin cancer that is honestly pretty common.  I know people that are going through a hell of lot worse than I could even imagine.  STOP WORRYING JANA!!!!!!  I can't help it though.  I am constantly looking at places that look suspicious thinking there is another one.  Then I get really vain and look at all my ugly scares and sores and think they are only going to multiply.  Am I going to end up one big skin cancer????  I'm going to do everything I can try not to and it's weird how I can relate that back to one of my favorite elementary school teachers.  Funny how life turns out sometimes.  That one was hard too.

9.)  I sweat like a dude.  Actually, I sweat like a 500 lb dude and it is NOT OK!!!  I could never have bangs when I was little because I would sweat so much.  NOT COOL!

Random little things.....

Yeah, I've been a bad blogger.  I'm sorry!!  I have no excuse.....just life.  Summer break is finally here so hopefully I will do a better job with my blogging skills.  Good thing I don't get paid for this.  Anyway, here are just some random thought/happengings I wanted to share.

Cooper started t-ball much to the discouragment of pretty much every single person we asked.  DON'T DO IT was pretty much the answer we go each time......geez.  Well, the first practice went well.  We had to run out at the last minute and buy a glove after Cooper's $5 Hudson find went missing....GREAT!  The only place we had time to go was Hibbit and I knew we were about to pay WAY more than we should for a 3 yr old t-ball glove.  We did.  First game didn't go so well.  Cooper wouldn't even walk to the tee.  I could see the frustration on Justin's face but he was he kept his cool.  The rest of that game was pretty spent with Cooper playing in the dirt and Justin chatting with the other dads.  The second game went much better.  The ice cream Cooper had before may or may not had anything to do with that but so be it.  He hit the ball both times and actually attempted to field a couple of balls.  Now, tonights game I had to play daddy.  Justin had football workouts ( ugh >:/ ugh ) and I got to go out on the field with Cooper.  He is all about hitting the ball but when it comes to fielding...not so much.  All that dirt is much more appealing.  I found myself trying to encourage him at first.  Then it turned to threats.....then bribes.  Just run after the ball son!!!  I had to snap myself out of it and remember that he is only 3.....and he does LOVE dirt.  We will see how the rest of the season goes.  I am glad we played though.  He sure looks cute in his hat. ;)

Look, It's Kelly from Bad News Bears. 

I follow a lot of blogs and I LOVE to read them all.  A dear friend of ours is going through a rough time right now.  His mom is battling small cell lung cancer.  His sister started a blog to basically follow her journey in dealing with thier mother's illness.  It is AMAZING!!!  Although I absolutley hate that she had to even start this blog I find myself scrolling down to see if she has updated it every day.  Check it out.  Her mother, Brenda Cochran, is probably one of the strongest women you will ever meet.
http://nikcia13.blogspot.com/



Our dear friends Johnny Welch and Sarah Robinson are getting married this weekend and Cooper will be the ring bearer.  We have been prepping Cooper for this for months now but I am still so anxious to see if he will actually walk down that isle.  Cooper is such a moody child sometimes and can be very shy and timid.  Once again, I have resorted to bribery.  Don't judge me ok.  We paid good money for this tux and I want Johnny and Sarah's day to be perfect.


I'm going to start admitting something embarassing on here from time to time.  We have struggled with both of our kids sleeping in their own beds.  They will start out in their beds but usually ALWAYS end up in our queen size bed.  Well, our master bedroom is big.  Big enough to put another queen size bed on either side of our bed.  So guess what?  That queen size bed that is collecting crap in our 4th bedroom is about to be setup next to our bed.  Yes, it will be oh so tacky and I'm sure my mother is gasping this very second after reading this but we gotta SLEEP!!!!  It's not permanent but it will work for now.....hopefully.


Oh, one more thing.  Please pray for Justin Friday.  He is taking his National Board test in Jackson!!

sup.......updated

So, I have finally taken a minute to sit down and write a decent blog.  I will mainly update you all through pictures.  Enjoy :)

This is what Justin has been working on since January!  He actually just completed retakes because he unfortunately didn't pass the first time like most applicants.  He has had so much help that we are SO thankful for.  Now we are PRAYING PRAYING and PRAYING that he passes.  Lord knows we could use the extra 6K a year.  That's daycare people!!  He will find out in November if he passes :/

Someone turned 30 on 3-3-11.  I'll let you figure out who that was :)

I made this cute wreath out of scrapbook paper.  Random but I like it so I decided to put it on here.  It's my blog so I can do what I want......so there

We took the kids to the zoo in Hattiesburg over spring break.  They were doing a ton of construction.  It took us longer to drive to Hattiesburg than it took to walk through the entire zoo.  Oh well, ice cream afterward was worth it.

He is such a serious child....sometimes

This was taken out at the lake near my dad's place.  This picture makes me sad.  Some low life recently stole both of my father's jack russell pups, Hotty and Toddy.  Who does that?

Avery and Kyler....my nephew

Justin went to a coaching clinic at The University of Alabama.  While he was in meeting all day, I explored.

Of course we have taken in some Mustang baseball.  I love this picture.

and this one

more baseball :)

Well, that's all folks.  For now anyway.  I'll be back in a bit with Easter pictures.  Before we know it summer will be here !!!! 

What's in my makeup bag......and a product review

OK, I enjoy reading these type of post so I decided to do one myself.  I'm going to stick with my makeup bag because we would be here till next Friday if we were checking out the contents of my purse.  I gotta clean that thing out!  OK, shall we start?

Great moisterizer!  I have really dry skin so this works great.  Plus, it has the all important SPF 30!!

Awesome concealer!  Maybeline Instant Age Rewind.  One end is a concealer and the other is a highlighter.

I use this as an illuminator on different parts of my face.  Gives me a little dewy glow.

I just started recently wearing powder and I love this mineral product.  Physicians Formula is the brand.

Maybeline Stiletto liquid eyeliner.  I use this for my top eyeliner.

CG Smoother's in Espresso eyeliner on the bottom

This is the most important product to me.  I go back and forth between this Clinique High Impact mascara in black

and this Loreal Carbon Black Voluminous.  Either one is great!

Clinique Bronzer......a fair skinned girl's best friend

I am honestly clueless when it comes to the application of eyeshadow.  I just use a light pearl shimmer to sweep across my eyelids.

of course I have the basic curler and

tweezers

Now on to the product review.  I bought this yesterday at Walgreen's and I have been wanting to try it for a while.

TRESemme' Fresh Start Dry Shampoo

This morning was a perfect time to try it.  I got maybe 3 hours of sleep last night due to Avery whining and crying out most of the night.  I needed to wash my hair but could not drag myself out of bed early enough to get that accomplished.  LIGHT BULB!!!  This stuff worked great!!  Just spray it in, wait 2 minutes, and brush it out.  It soaks up the oil and leaves your hair smelling yummy.  Well worth $4.99!

sup...

Sup blog.....I know I have been pretty awful about posting.  My bad.  I promise as soon as this CRAZY week is over I will post a mega blog.  Get excited!

What I'm Wanting Lately

Here are a few things I want......but probably won't get.  Well, some of them anyway.

I would LOVE a pair of Chaco sandals but can't really justify paying $90 for a pair.

Yeah, I still want a Cricut machine.  Maybe Santa will read this.

I want a room like this just to work on fun little projects.  One day......

I don't know which one I love more....the table or the rug.  Can I have them both please?

This chick has her own little craft cottage.....sweet!

Now, here are some things that I have or have had recently.

I bought this dress

and this one

and this one....plus one more.  Summer = dresses

OK, so I'm not too proud of this one BUT it is soooooo good!  From the fine folks of Taco Bell....The Beefy Crunch Burrito.  I didn't even know they made flaming hot Frito's but it works.  They need to discontinue this.....QUICK!!!  Thanks Sarah!!!

HEAVEN.....period

I was in a boutique this past weekend and I saw these adorable buckets with cute little Easter decor painted on them.  Turned them over and saw $35!!  Really?  I bought two of these at Lowe's this week.  I'm going to make my own.  Wish me luck!

I have always loved this show/movie but I have become super obsessed with it lately.  If I see it on TV I have to watch it.