Bayahibe, Dominican Republic

This past Monday, February 27, my hubby and I celebrated our second wedding anniversary. While I can't believe it has been two years, I can say that they have been the best 2 years of my life. My husband is a man who truly understands me, loves me, and does everything possible to make me a happy woman. He fully lives by the motto, "Happy wife, happy life." He is more than I could have imagined or hoped for in a husband, and I couldn't be any happier than I am by his side (plus he lets me do all these fabulous things).

To celebrate, my hubby surprised me... we went for a long weekend to the Dominican Republic, where he is from. His aunt owns a place at a resort development, and she was kind enough to let us stay there for the weekend with some friends.  It was really wonderful, relaxing, and fun. I should probably just let the pictures speak for themselves. :)

Turtles in the hotel entrance. :)

Good times on the beach. 

Beautiful view from a catamaran off of Isla Saona. 

My friend Vero. :)

The cloudy skies cleared up once we rode off. 

My love and his best friend. 

Need I say more? 

All in all, a fabulous trip. Kind of wishing I was back there right about now...

XoXo,

Jen

Venturing out...

I'm sorry - I know I have been awful about posting. Things have been so busy (in a wonderfully amazingly good way!), that I feel like I haven't had a moment to breathe, much less update my blog. So my photography business is finally taking off, and I have been nonstop between work, photo sessions, and keeping my hubby full and happy. :)

I wanted to share with you today some of the best shots from my recent shoots. :)

Check out my Facebook Page, Photos by Jenise, for more photos!

xoxo, 

Jen

Notable, Quotable

I posted this because, well, it's absolutely, positively, 100% true. While we may love someone with our whole heart, it doesn't mean we're necessarily going to like them all the time. 

People do things. Some things make you happy, some things irk you, some things don't even warrant your attention. But some things just piss you off  make you really upset. And in those moments, you don't necessarily like someone.  In those moments, you want to yell, and kick, and punch, and slap. You want to throw things. You want to grind your teeth. You want to jump out of a moving vehicle and make them regret doing stupid things. 

But when the storm passes, and your head is clear again, remember why you love them.  And remember that while we all make mistakes, and nobody is perfect, there is someone out there who completes you, who is absolutely the best fit, the most perfect person for you. And when you find it, hold on tight. That's your soul mate. 

Xoxo, 

Jen

Font Freak

So if you are anything like me, before you create anything (and I do mean ANYTHING), you agonize over fonts. The look of something can really change depending on the font you are using. Whenever I create worksheets for my students, or notes to other teachers, or anything that will be posted in my classroom, I am very selective about which fonts I will use. I think the font says so much about what you are trying to get across in your message.

I found this site, Fonts for Peas, and I am OBSESSED.  All my dreams of handwritten fonts are right there on this adorable blog. So I am adding their button to my homepage, because I think it needs to be shared!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Xoxo,

Jen

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our house to yours! 

I know it's a little early, but Bella and I were eager to share her Halloween pictures with you all! She's going to be a pretty bumblebee. We had a little photoshoot and I have to say she looks adorable. :) 

For your viewing pleasure... 

And that's a wrap, mom. 

Xoxo,

Jen

Back to School?

No recipe today, folks. But I do have an announcement - I'm going back to school! Since I don't have NEARLY enough to do with my time, I decided I'm going back to expand my brain a little more. I've been thinking about school for a while, but was a little reluctant because I hadn't found a program that really interested me or that was convenient for me. I already have my Masters Degree in Special Education, and I KNEW  did NOT want to go back for a Doctorate (Sorry Mom, I'm just not THAT ambitious).

I recently discovered a program that is convenient and worth my while. It's an Autism Endorsement program, which adds an additional certification to my teaching license. 4 classes, 1 year, meets once a week. I'm in the process of applying (and struggling to get my 2 former school to provide me with everything I need - so frustrating), and I can actually say I am looking forward to this. Our school's population of children who are diagnosed with Autism has continued to grow, just like in the rest of the world. I think this will be a great thing to have under my belt and will really help me to better cope with all my students. :)

So come January, I will HOPEFULLY be a student once again (and no, I'm NOT a masochist).

Xoxo,
Jen

Jack of all trades, Master of none?

So it seems as if every week I find something else I enjoy and at which I could become much greater. There are just so many things I enjoy. I have huge dreams. Some I might achieve, some might be a flailing attempt... But I have promised myself that even if it is flailing, I WILL make the attempt.

Teaching is my first love, and what puts the money in the bank account regularly (even if it isn't much). But on my list of things are to be a published author and to expand my photography portfolio. Writing has been a love of mine for a long time. I remember scribbling notes and poems on any scrap of paper I could ever find, and writing short stories on my parents' old desktop. That's where blogging came about. A place to express myself, to make my thoughts heard, and to hone my skills.  My hopes are that I can one day write a book and get it published (I've actually already written a children's alphabet book and illustrated it, but no publishing yet).

As for photography, I've always thought of it as "just a hobby." I've taken maternity photos for friends, or friends' children, photographed parties, and as always, at school. But it was never something I made money off of.   So imagine my surprise when a friend recommended me for a paying job this past weekend! It was an engagement party, and I absolutely LOVED it. The couple was great, as were their families! I was even booked for other jobs through this party! So I'm excited to have another creative outlet for myself, as well as to help document the fun and important times in people's lives!

I'm not trying to market myself here - I'm seriously just EXTREMELY excited about this new venture! The blog is also great at letting me hone some of my photography skills, so I have definitely been getting plenty of practice.

The whole point of this post is that I want to know how to do a lot of things... not just one. I want to look back at the end of my life and say, "I tried it all. I might not have been the absolute best, but at least I can say I tried."  I think that's the way we should all live... try everything you want to try, at least once! You never know what can come from it.

Anyway, here are a couple of shots to enjoy!

Lover's Locks on the Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy

Water flowing

Two of my favorite girls. :)

Spanish Food. Need I say more? 

Gaudi-inspired bull in Barcelona, Spain

Xoxo,

Jen

The Many Faces of Bella

Yes, I am doing it - I am totally posting about my dog. This past weekend, my dad was soooo wonderful and gifted me part of a new camera. (Thanks Daddy-O)  I, of course, had to play with it as much as possible before my upcoming trip - hence the reason why I took 600 photos in one weekend (Yes, really). Since I have no children, my dog is probably my best subject (my husband no longer poses for me unless it is a worthwhile shot - I must be that annoying, huh?). While being a paparazzi, I noticed that my dog has more expression in her teeny little face than most people can express with their entire 200-lb bodies. If you have a dog, I am sure you have noticed the many faces of your Fido, or Fifi, or Rocky... If so, I want to hear about them! So below are some pictures of Bella (who by the way just turned a year old in June, and who is looking for a man with whom to make some babies (;  ), along with what I think her thoughts must be when she makes these faces. :)

"Mom, I'm tired. Please, chill with the pics."

"I told you to leave me alone. Now take me to the dentist." (my poor baby has the cutest underbite)

 

"Look into my puppy dog eyes... keep staring, keep staring... "

"I'm pooped. No literally... right next to you."

"Wanna be my friend?"

"Wait... You're doing what?"

"Come play with me!"

"I'm thinking. About rolling in the grass and a pool full of dog treats."

"Please, dad... drop the big, juicy steak... right there."

"You people..."

"Seriously? Who tortures their kids like this?" 

Haha. Happy Thursday everyone... Enjoy your day!

XoXo, 

Jen

Happy Independence Day!

So I'm lucky... I get to share my birthday month with one amazing little lady... Lady Liberty and this great place we call the USA. My birthday is at the end of the month, but this weekend I'm celebrating America's birthday with family and friends at the beach. :)
I'm working on my tan, taking some fabulous photos, and straight up... Relaxing. I'm actually writing this on my phone right now, while sitting in a beach chair, watching my brothers in the ocean. I could do this forever.

I go home tonight, after fireworks, so I will post some photos hopefully (I did a mini photo shot with some friends' daughters). I should also have a recipe or two for you this week. :)

Till then... Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Xoxo

Jen

Summer Slump? I Wish....

Ok so I know that I have been terrible about posting in the last few... ummm... months.  I'm sorry! It has been absolute chaos! So I'm giving you a little update! I will be posting a recipe or two before I leave on vacation next week (I hope).

First... My grandpa... he's doing great, thank goodness! We had a rough going at first (he couldn't receive chemo due to blood pressure problems), but everything was finally regulated and he is now on a set chemo schedule for a couple months. He is feeling great, has regained his appetite, and is back to being my "viejo". (See previous posts for background info on all this)

Second - I'm a teacher, so there's no possible way I could be so busy at the beginning of summer, right??? WRONG! :/ The end of the school year was absolutely insane! It was nonstop craziness for over a month.  And then, so much for a summer vacation! I decided I would sign up for a three day teaching workshop on my first three days of vaycay (Yes, I'm a masochist!).  So I had a quick little two days off that week, and then the following Monday I began at my annual creative writing enrichment program (more on that in my next entry).  That was last Monday, and I have until this Friday. :)
This weekend is Fourth of July weekend, so we will be at the beach with family, and next week we leave on a 10-day European vacation!  I am ecstatic about going to Spain and Italy and all these fabulous places, but I think I overbooked myself at the beginning of my summer...

But I'm not complaining, because everything has been really fun so far, and because I am blessed to have a job, and great co-workers, and the luxury of going on an incredible trip with my amazing husband!

Thanks for staying true and continuing to follow, even though I've been a terrible blogger! :(
I'll leave you with a couple photos of recent events!

Hubby & I at a Gala. We clean up nice, huh?

Visiting the Liberty Bell... We were in Philadelphia
for my brother-in-law's MBA Graduation. 

XoXo, 

Jen

Fresh Start

Starting a blog is always sort of scary. What the heck do I write?
I've started them a few times and always end up deleting them because I don't think I have enough to say or enough that people will actually care to read.

What's different now? Well, I've been asking myself the same thing.
I'm just an ordinary young woman - a jack of all trades, master of none.  I was married almost a year ago (my anniversary is February 27th).

In the last year, I've learned a lot - about myself, about my husband, and about what I want my life to be like. I suppose this blog is an attempt to sort everything out and keep a kind of record of my attempts at lots of things. I suppose I will be posting about photography, cooking, baking, teaching, and travel, for the most part.  Basically, things that make me happy on a daily basis - hence the name, Everyday Delights.

I also have so many people who ask me for recipes and tips on different things... I figure this is an easier way to share than just e-mailing people one-by-one. I'm sure it will be slow going at first, but hopefully I can create some kind of a schedule for myself and update on a regular basis. I'll certainly try. :)

I hope you enjoy, feel free to comment, and let me know if there's anything I can do to improve the blog!

For today, I'll leave you with some of my favorite shots, taken by Yours Truly...

Our puppy Bella, a Lhasa Apso, at 5 months. 

A dock along the Mississippi

My handsome hubby. :)

Happy Reading...

Jen