This is How We Rung in the New Year

It's a little comical how we spent the first hours of 2016. It's fit to be my first confession post of the new year and I hope you enjoy.

We had no plans of how we were going to ring in the new year leading up to it. Did we need to go buy a few bottles of wine or did I need to go find a new party dress? Did we want to drive and be out on the town dancing like last year, or did we just want to spend it looking into each other's eyes like the year before?

We chose staying in with two bottles of wine, college football and some board games. We even shared a *toast*.

The funny thing about our night is that we stressed over what we were going to make for dinner as our last meal of such a momentous year. With nothing that was so perfect, we finally decided to prepare a batch of hamburger helper. You know, in case we drank too much and needed sustenance for the wee hours of the morning. It turns out that was a perfect last meal of the year, and possibly a tradition was born.

The hours from midnight turned into minutes from midnight as we played board games, laughed, dreamed and competed.

Midnight struck with the kiss, the look, the promise, the text messages from family and friends and then that strange feeling to do something spectacular with this gift of a new year. We were having a great time playing board games and card games but once the new year hit, we took a blast to the past as he showed me some of his tried and true college drinking games that I'd never seen before.

I saw him get a cartoon-grade thought lightbulb and all of a sudden we were pulling twelve beers out of the fridge for his next grand idea.

Power Hour.

Yes, the kind you might have played in college and never really made it through successfully. At least I couldn't. If you're ever in the market for such an activity, YouTube has a delightful collection of power hours. Music decades, music genres, comedy scenes, retro TV, anything. We chose a comedy sequence and had some laughs with old favorites, coached each other through with encouragement like,  "no  you're too far ahead" or "no you still owe one!!!" 

We capped off the night on our small apartment balcony with me in my shortest shorts in 30-degree weather, him with as many layers as he could put on, a heat dish, two cigars and 90's power hour music coming from inside of the apartment. Conversation, elation, care and plans for the new year ahead of us.

It was a night I'll never forget despite all of the things that I may not remember. But it was the way we started the year and I guess you can say that we can only go up from there!

Linking up for confessions with Kathy, Nadine, Sarah, Laura, Lauren, Alanna and .... ???

Missing In Action January

Well hello and Happy New Year! 

Sure it's well past the middle of January but this is my first post of 2015 so I can still get away with well wishes for the new year. 

I want to start off the new year with a thank you to my loyal readers and anonymous peekers who've been poking around JumpingJE waiting patiently for me to publish something. For what? To give up my whereabouts, to see if I'm still in a relationship since I stopped Man-Crush-Monday'ing on instagram, to see what I got for Christmas gifts? I may never know why you've been checking in so much, but felt that showing up for unconventional confessions on Wednesday would be a pretty great way to break the ice.

Let's tell a story about my adventures. 

Christmas started off with a bang - and not the magical fireworks kind of bang, but more of the what-is-going-on-with-my-life-right-now-and-how-did-I-get-here kind. We're still sorting all of those feelings out, but it's safe to say that I (once again) was the center of attention on Christmas - even though it was my brother's first time home for Christmas in 5 years. Sorry family, thanks for understanding this drama-llama world. I don't understand it but I'm happy you do. 

The only thing missing from my Christmas story was the hallway selfie mirror I've really been wishing for. Nothing that a fun new pair of leggings can't fix - I even took them out for a spin for coffee with my sweetest lady, Marisa.  

Christmas passed and I had no decorations to take down, which was pretty amazing because in no time at all I was on a plane again. This time I was headed across the country for sixteen days of work, work and more work. 

You, my friends, had no early notice on this one and neither did I! I found out about this trip on Christmas Eve and had a heck of a time deciding what to pack for two weeks away in Memphis including New Years with the guy while also trying to make a pretty awesome impression at work. Yes - boyfriend is still around despite the absence of MCM'ing about him week-in and week-out. Don't take it personally, b! 

What did I pack? Something old, something new, something borrowed and something to work out in. Okay I may have brought a few things to work out in and none of them were touched a single time. Whoops. I did bring some cozy knits and a beautiful NYE dress though! 

You may want photo evidence of my adventures but there's nada. Zip zilch nada, not even an image worth sharing from my time away because I was in the office each day for 10-14 hours kicking butt and taking names. Well there may be one photo but that's not going on my blog - it was a picture of the worst bathroom stall I've ever almost used in my life - there was no spot for a toilet paper roll... huh?! To be fair it was a new building and a new stall, but really - how is the TP roll left out of the design sketches?

I made it back home with nothing to show but a pile of laundry and a bunch of clean workout clothes. My parents were amazing as always and fixed up my house with groceries, a made bed and fresh flowers. I really don't deserve it all but someday I'll pay it forward. 

Oh don't forget the part where I completely busted my iPhone and thank my impulsive self for getting the Apple Care because now I have a shiny brand new one! 

After all of that nonsense it was this that got me through the last 25 days. A simple print I'd read a thousand times but never really understood until I needed it. Thanks mom for always giving me wisdom even when it's not intentional. 

Peace and Love and Humpday with Melissa <3

2014; Well, We'll See!

I don't know what's in store for me this year and I kind of like it that way.

High bar, low bar, it won't matter. My goals are to live each and every day happily and healthily. To take care of my mind and my body. To take care of my heart and my soul. To run when I want to, and sleep when I need to. To see friends when I want to fill my heart, and stay home when I need to recharge. 

Years past I've had specific life events that I'm expecting to happen, but this year is different.

It's a year to throw caution to the wind, do what's right for me, do what makes me happy and to stop worrying about what others think. 

It's a year to continue to seek balance in my life and my relationships. 

It's a year to take photos and capture special moments, no matter their significance. 

It's a year to make waves in my career - in a non-beat-myself-down kind of way.

It's a year to branch out, to travel, to get out and meet some blog friends (in person!) and keep growing myself as a young woman who knows what she wants. 

It's an Even year - which means it's mine for the taking.  

Thank you for supporting me and continuing to follow along!

Jessi