Day 6: A picture of something that makes you happy

Well there isn't just one picture there are a few, so here we go....

Chris and I
My Family (minus Heath and Jay) & Disney!

Friends
Sunsets
Baylor University
College Football
Baseball Season (college or MLB)
Bluebonnets
MAC Makeup

Day 5-Your favorite recipes

WOW so this is super hard, because I am so not the cook in my household. I don't enjoy it and I am not so good at it, but I will share some of my favorite appetizers sides, because I am good at those...plus they are easy :)

Pistachio Salad
8 oz cool whip
instant pistachio pudding mix
small can of crushed pineapple cherries (drained and cut)
bananas (1-2) sliced
marshmallows (small ones)

Semi-drain the pineapples, put in bowl. Add pudding, cool whip and bananas. Then add cherries and marshmallows. Stir all together, chill, and eat.

Cream Cheese Corn
1 bag of frozen Corn or 2-3 can of corn
8 oz cream cheese
1 can diced green chilies
1 spoonful of butter

Cook corn recommended amount. Add cream cheese and butter, microwave 1-1:30 minutes. Stir. Add green chilies and stir. EAT

Day 4-Your parents

My parents, this is a picture of my parents from Chris and mine's wedding. My parents what am I suppose to say about them?

They have been the most amazing parents. They are the most supporting, loving, encouraging parents I could ask for. They always taught us that we could do whatever we wanted to do and made sure we always had the opportunities to do so even if it meant they had to sacrifice for us to do so. I know that growing up I didn't always see that but as I have gotten older I realized how much of themselves they sacrificed for us girls. They instilled in us our moral and values and gave us all our great work ethic. The most important thing that they did was teach us about God and laid the foundation of him in our lives and for that I think them. I look to my parent so often for wisdom because I know that they always have my best interests at heart even if it is something that wouldn't benefit them.

Dad is a perfect Dad for three girls, he taught us all about sports and it is one of our favorite things to do as a family. He showed us by example what a Godly man is and how you should put God and your family first. He is a great father and husband and I am so glad that I had that example because I know many out there have not.

Mom is absolutely amazing as well, she has taught us to be who we are and care about others. She has a work ethic that has been passed down to each of us that I should thank her for. She can cook amazingly and although I don't have this quality yet, at least I know where to go to get great recipes! She is great example of always putting family first. Thanks for teaching me how to be a wife and a mother even if I am not at that stage yet.

One of the things I am most thankful about is that they taught me to Love Unconditionally. That is one of the best things that I could have ask for and am lucky enough to have received from them. Thanks Mom and Dad for being great examples! I am so honored to be your daughter. I love yall!

Day 3-Your first love

My first love...wow this one is hard...I guess I will start by going through the different phases of love in my life. I didn't really date in high school as much as I had crushes which I thought at the time was love, but turns out as I look back all is was was a crush. I didn't have my first real boyfriend til college which turned out to be a on and off 6 year relationship. I would say that we loved each other, and that relationship will always hold a special place in my heart because I grew up in the relationship, but looking back even though it taught me a lot of what it is like to be in a relationship, it wasn't real lasting love.

My second long term relationship I thought I was in love, but I realized after that I could never show all of myself to that person. There was always something that I was holding back. It was a relationship that I had in my mid-twenties that really taught me who I was as a person and what I wanted and expected out of a relationship. Hiding part of who you are to please another is never a good idea. One thing I learned it to love unconditionally, which my parents instilled in all three of us. But real love isn't just loving unconditionally, but is also having someone love you unconditionally back. I think I was just in love with the idea of being in love.

Which brings me to my one and only true everlasting love, my husband, Chris. I guess the saying third times a charm worked in my case...I just think that God saved the best for last. He is the one person in my life that I can just be me. I don't have to pretend I am something I'm not. I don't have to be afraid that if I tell him something or if I do something wrong he'll leave. He loves me unconditionally. Being in love is a choice that is made every day to love the other person. That's what unconditional love is. Being there no matter what and loving that person through everything. The following is something that I believe speaks to the relationship that Chris and I have...This is part of what was read at our wedding that defines not only our real love but also having that real love with God as the center...God will lead you into such situations that will bless you and develop your characters as you walk together. He will give you enough tears to keep you tender, enough hurts to keep you compassionate, enough of failure to keep your hands clenched tightly in His, and enough success to make you sure you walk with Him. May you never take each other's love for granted, but always experience that wonder that exclaims "Out of all this world you have chosen me." And that is what real love is to me. I have chosen Chris and he has chosen me, and I couldn't have ever asked for more...I love you, Chris.

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Well my blog name has to deal with my nicknames...so without explaining those since that is day 20....here is my meaning... Am, Ams, Am Jam and AJ are my nicknames jamboree means a noisy celebration ...so Am's Jamboree seemed to fit since it combined all of my nicknames and since I love to celebrate and my friends, family and I are quite noisy :), that is how I came up with the title of my blog :)

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Hi Yall! An introduction... ...my name is Amber! I am wife to Chris, daughter, sister, I have 5 besties that are all across the country, mom of a pomapoo Daisy, an avid sports fan and just a normal gal from Texas transplanted to South Carolina!

A recent picture...not sure if I have any but I am going to use this one that Chris took of me from my iphone at Disney. I love Disney, as does my family and it has been 3 decade long tradition that when the family goes to Disney we take a picture with the Indian on Main St. Seriously, I am not good at this stuff but hopefully you can bear with me as I muddle though this!

1. Chris and I met June 21, 2008 in Jamaica when I was at a friends destination wedding and he was on vacation. It was my last day there and his first, we had less than 24 hours together before I had to head back to the states. After that we dated long distance for 6 months before I moved to South Carolina, 2 months after that we got engaged (which is actually 2 years ago today). We got married June 21, 2010 in Jamaica exactly 2 years from the day we met there
2. I graduated from Baylor University in 2003 with a BBA in Marketing and decided in Jan of 2008 to quit my job in Waco and go back to school at the University of Texas in Arlington to get my MBA. When I moved out to South Carolina in 2009 I transferred to their online program and graduated in May 2010 with my MBA. THANK GOODNESS that is over!!!!!
3. I love to do list! I cant focus to get anything done if I don't have one. I love the feeling of accomplishment when I scratch it off. Plus if I don't write it down I won't remember. I know its awful but I hate forgetting things and I feel awful when I do!!!!
4. I am stealing this from my sister here but love Dr. Pepper. Please don't suggest I drink diet, I cant do it, it's gross and just not the same! I would rather go without it than drink diet.
5. I love sports! College football is my favorite but I miss going to college basketball and baseball games as well. But I also love my Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. It was so much fun watching them in the World Series even though we lost it was an amazing experience for me after being a fan for so long!
6. Another that I am stealing from my sister is I am a terrible cleaner, I stink at it. I can keep the house straight and organized but when it comes to cleaning toilets, vacuuming, mopping and dusting I HATE and I mean HATE it!
7. I have recently started a new job at Aerotek and have been there for 2 months. I am so glad that after 3 years of being in school and not having a job to finally be contributing to society again doing something productive. Not that getting my MBA wasn't productive or important, but I just feel like I am doing something now especially since I help with putting unemployed people to work.
8. Tends to be that I have a lot in common with my sister so here is another that I am poaching but with my twist. I have 2 sisters...I'm the most sensitive one. Just ask anyone. I'm also the the quietest of the 3 of us, which most people that know me outside of my family wouldn't believe but when I am with them it is hard for me to get a word in edge wise. Robyn is my oldest sister who lives in TX and Heather is my middle sister who lives in NM. Way too far away for my liking, but we all do what we have to do.
9. I don't like to feel like I am not included. It is a major insecurity of mine, I know its bad but I feel like if I am not included its because I am not liked and as you will see in # 15 that's a major issue.
10. Chris and I just finished our first remodel project in our house, we bought our house in Sept 09 and there were just a couple things we wanted to change. So this year since we didn't have the wedding to save up for we chose to remodel our guest bath. Pictures to come...its not cleaned yet and we don't have the towels yet so I want to wait to post until it is perfect. It was a real team effort, Chris did most of the work having pulled the vanity, toilet and floor out, then tiled the entire thing, while I helped where I could by painting and picking out the new hardware, paint color and decorations. I am so proud of it, it makes me smile every time I see it. It's my favorite room in the house because it is the first room in our house that is Chris and I together, not just joining the stuff we already had.
11. I started couponing this weekend. Chris and I are looking for some extra ways to save money so after talking with some close friends that were doing it we decided to try it out. It was quite awesome, our first bill was 187, we ended up saving 89 and spent 98!
12. I love Texas country music! Or as Chris and others call it Red Dirt Country. It is my favorite music and I wish it was on the radio more here, since it's not AT ALL. Listening to it really helps me when I get homesick because it just takes me back!
13. I am very particular about my food...I am a very picky eater, but I eat my food in order to what I like the most...I eat my least favorite first and save the best for last, I guess I just like to have my favorite taste in my mouth when I am finished. I also would prefer to eat on plate that have separation like when you bought you food from the lunch room in school. I just don't like my food touching, I know that it all gets mixed up in my stomach but I really don't want my corn or corn juice mixing with my mashed potatoes!!!!
14. I am a perfectionist. I want things to be perfect and when things don't work out the way I want I get really bent out of shape. This also leads to me being organized and I don't like it when I can't find things! and I am really hard on myself if I make a mistake! In fact so hard that I don't have to have others mention it because it will just make me feel worst!
15. Lastly, I am a people pleaser...if you ask I will do everything in my power to do what I can to help. I want people to be happy and I do not want to be the cause of them not being. I don't like to hurt people's feeling and if I do I feel awful! I just want others to like me and to have a good time when they are around me and also to feel as though I really care about them because I do. I hate it if anyone is disappointed, mad at me, or doesn't like me. It just tears me up inside like I have failed somehow. Granted I know that I won't get along with everyone or that not everyone will like me but I would still like it it they did. Well not sure if this was entertaining to any of yall but I enjoyed it.

It was super hard for me to think of things and I hope I didn't steal too many things from my sister :) Well til tomorrow....OH and lastly, I love me some red wine!

30 days til 30...blogging challenge

So my 30th Birthday is on March 30 and I decided that I'm going to begin a 30 day blogging adventure! My Bestie and sister started it and finished it and I thought it was a great way to end my twenties. So I will be starting it tomorrow and post everyday until my bday.

I think it is a great way to get more consistent on my blogging because as all you know I am terrible at keeping up with blogging so here is the outline of my blogging challenge.

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name

Day 3-Your first love

Day 4-Your parents

Day 5-Your favorite recipes

Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy

Day 7-Favorite movies

Day 8-A place you've traveled to

Day 9-A picture of your friends

Day 10-Something you're afraid of

Day 11-Favorite TV shows

Day 12-What you believe

Day 13-Goals

Day 14-A picture you love

Day 15-Bible verse

Day 16-Dream house

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

Day 18-Something you regret

Day 19-Something you miss

Day 20-Nicknames

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Day 22-What's in your makeup bag

Day 23-Favorite vacation

Day 24-Something you've learned

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

Day 26-Picture of your family

Day 27-Pets

Day 28-Something that stresses you out

Day 29-3 Wishes

Day 30-a picture

So here it to 30 days til my thirties! Let me know if you want to join my challenge!!!! OH and Keep me accountable!!!