20 years ago today as scheduled I arrived at the hospital at 7am to be induced as I was 2+ weeks overdue with my second child. Labor and delivery was not pleasant for me or my son as he was breech and his heartbeat kept dropping. At 5:40pm we welcomed our first son…and 20 years later it still seems like it was just yesterday that he entered my life and stole my heart.

If I have a monument in this world, it is my son. - Maya Angelou

Happy 20th Birthday Reggie. I love you more than life.

Hello and Happy Saturday friends! Woke up to sunshine and a temperature of 3 degrees this morning. Ugh. Spring, where are you?!

My One World-One Heart 2010 post, has 401 comments!! I set a goal of 500 comments during the Magic Carpet ride, if you want to join, it’s not too late, links close on February 8th. HOpe you’ll enter my giveaway, and share my blog with your friends!

Here’s my card for todays Unscripted Sketches

I’m a bit behind schedule tonight. I drove my two boys to the big city this afternoon to meet up with a friend to head out to see Shinedown in concert [which I wish I'd thought about telling them to grab a ticket for me also--even more so after Matthew called to tell me they are less than 30 feet from the stage..], and decided to walk around a few stores…which of course I lost total track of time.

I’ve been looking for a pink clutch [atleast I think that is what they are called], and to my surprise I found one in Target tonight. Even better, it was regular price $13.00 on clearance for $3.00.

It will hold those necessites for those moments when I’m not in the mood to carry a purse.

•  -Kristin asked us What’s Your Backup Plan? and I’ve been inspired to organize, delete and back up the [insert gulp here] 15,000+ digital photos that sit inside my laptop–that if lost/damaged, I would never be able to replace them, and represents almost 12 years of mine and my families lifes/memories [insert a very, very big gulp here].

• -I clipped out the above visual in one of my magazines last month and thought I would share with you all. Don’t get me wrong, I am far from perfect, but I consider everything that I eat, and the plate on the right just makes sense and more importantly, keeps you full [just to throw out one of the many benefits].
• -I Love Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou is truly an inspiration and symbolizes the human spirit of love, kindness, and peace. Her words never cease to inspire me, and I wanted to share a quote that I feel is amazing…

Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can’t practice any other virtues consistently. You can’t be consistently kind or fair or humane or generous, not without courage, because if you don’t have it, sooner or later you will stop and say, “The threat is too much. The difficulty is …too high. The challenge is too great.”

Well friends, the night is closing in on me and I am going to end my ramblings. Until tomorrow…

xo-Jenny

Hello Friends, and Happy Friday!

I’m here, but have been busy. Between family, and getting myself situated to be ready and organized to begin working, and as usual, there are just not enough hours in the day for all I want/and need to get accomplished!

Tonight I had a craving for molasses cookies with raisins, so I ran to the grocery store for raisins and extra flour, and used this recipe after doing a search.

Well. Seriously, if it’s not macaroni and cheese [homemade of course], or spaghetti and meatballs, I should not be allowed in the kitchen. I blame this on my nannie. Nannie cooked great meals, but her theory about the kitchen was:

1. You can never cook it too fast. Cook everything on HIGH!
2. Get in the kitchen and get out!
3. If a fork isn’t touching a plate the person is done and it’s time to take their plate so the dishes are all done, so we can get out of the kitchen!!

Yeah. That’s me. I find no enjoyment in the kitchen, because something will be overcooked, or undercooked, no matter how hard I try.

So…the molasses cookies. I made two batches one with raisins and one without. First batch comes out and I realize why the recipe said to drop the dough 2 inches apart.

Thankfully on the second batch I decided to keep the dough 2 inches apart–and we went from square to round cookies.

Of course, by time I got to the dough with the raisins, they came out beautiful!

What else did I learn tonight? When you take the cookies out of the oven you shouldn’t immediately try to place them on a wire rack, and square cookies taste just as good as round cookies. And I know that nannie would agree!!

Have you checked out my One World-One Heart 2010 post? My post has 378 comments right now. Right now there are 828 participants, and I still cannot believe that my ticket number is #14!

Have you stopped into the Log Your Memory Community? There is a Sweet Talk Journaling Challenge beginning February 1st, so stop in and join in on the fun with us!

Much to do this weekend, and hoping time will be on my side. Until tomorrows Unscripted post, have a wonderful remainder of your night, and stay warm!

xo-Jenny

One World-One Heart 2010

Hello and welcome to This Everyday Life, where I share bits and pieces of My Perfectly, Imperfect Everyday Life. I am excited to be a part of the One World-One Heart 2010 Magic Carpet Blog Event, and I thank you for visiting me.

My name is Jenny and I am located on the East Coast where I live in the cold and snowy state of Maine. I am a Registered Nurse. Momma to three young adults, and an extremely spoiled 11 month old Minature Schnauzer, named Oliver, and wife to Keith. I enjoy playing in my Art STudio with all of my scrapbook and rubberstamp goodies, but doubtful that I will ever be caught up, or create everything on my to-do list. You can click here: All about me! to learn more about me.

Because this event is global, I wanted to offer a special giveaway with a theme that I felt would touch each person that enters my blog.

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.  -Maya Angelou

“Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly, “one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.”  -Hans Christian Anderson

My One World-One Heart giveaway is the Willow Tree Freedom Angel.

UPDATE: Kristin Rutten, owner of Log Your Memory has generously donated one downloadable version of the Memory Logbook 2010 to our one lucky winner to be chosen on February 15th. A special thank you to Kristin.

• *To enter leave a comment on this post.
• *Please limit to one comment per day to be fair to the other participants please.
• *Random.org will be used to choose the winner.
• *One winner will be chosen on February 15th. I will email the winner and they will have 48 hours to respond with their postal address information. After 48 hours an alternate winner will be chosen.

I look forward to visiting your blog, so please be sure you link your website address in your comment. I hope that my blog inspires you and you find your way back for another visit. I hope you enjoy the 2010 Magic Carpet Ride!

xo-Jenny

Hello and Happy Thursday friends!!

This afternoon I was offered a 11p-7a position as the RN supervisor, on the Long Term Care unit at a Continuing Care Center and I am excited, nervous, and frightened at the same time. I will begin orientation the second week of February.

And then…I see my daughters post on Facebook, that she is excited that I have found a RN position, but she wishes it was in North Carolina. Of course I cried. I miss her so much.

It has been a wonderful today, and I am looking forward to this journey. Catch you tomorrow with a new layout share.

xo-Jenny

Hello Friends! I’m still on the search for additional ‘time’ to get everything accomplished that I want and need to.

Today I focus and find beauty in the ordinary.

I forgot to share my card for Saturdays Unscripted Sketches

This morning I had an interview at a facility for a Charge Nurse position, and it looks very good. Excited, and nervous at the same time. Now just need to wait for the HR Department to complete my background check, and call me and officially offer me the position.

The beginning of this month I applied for a Design Team position for Log Your Memory: Real Life 2010 Collab Project, and today I received word that I have been chosen. I am excited, and looking forward to meeting the team. If you are interested in having your work published, Kristin posted this information: 365 Chances To Get Published! And, if you aren’t a member of the Log Your Memory Community, what are you waiting for?

I’m working on the charms, and ATC swaps that I signed up for. Hoping to have a picture or two to share before the end of this weekend.

Well friends much to do, so I am going to run along for now…talk to you tomorrow.

xo-Jenny