marriage blog

this is where our new blog is.

b+j=love

over my head

Tonight I started a little project. just something I'm whipping up for Christmas for my soon-to-be HUSBAND. I like to be crafty, I'm just beginning to doubt if I should even attempt things in this field. Mostly I stick to mod-podgeing anything I can get my greedy little hands on. picture frames.. journals.. pieces of cardboard. This is officially more than I bargained for. wish me luck! Ima need it!

not too shabby

I just ordered this dress and I think I'm going to like it. my grandma told me 'every married girl needs a cute dress to wear.' thanks grandma
shabbyapple.com

trick wedding

december 12, 2009. what a great day! I really REALLY can't wait until january 2 when it's real and I am now Mrs. Blake Richards. can't wait to marry you honey! you are the best EVER! mwuah!



just a heads up... come being married I will be blogging at this site. so come visit!

i need more of this in my life...

hahahaha. right? who doesn't need more of this?! look at those socks. what was I thinking?



do i also need more of this? YES!



and I need more of this! T-MINUS 2 DAYS!!!!!

2 posts in one day... i must have a paper due

geology lab final
ethics animal rights paper
plant taxonomy lab final
ethics combined chapter test
ethics final
final portfolio for english
portfolio of 10 ethical articles
english presentation
geology final
ethics final
plant taxonomy final

i am sick of football being on tv always.
i am sick of call of duty.
i am sick of blake living so far away.
i am just plain sick.

my room is never clean anymore.
my car never has gas in it.
my bank account never has money in it.

even though my life is this bad (what a joke. i am such a whiner.) blake makes it better. 100 percent. being engaged and 12 hours away from each other sucks the big one, let me tell you. our schedules are crazy and he works late nights and i have early morning classes, and its difficult to make time for each other. texting often leads to miscommunication and planning a wedding is a real B. i just miss him a lot and wish we were married. where's the 'joy in the journey'?! it is non existent people. that's how whiney I am. is that so wrong? can't I have a bad day? Can't I blog about my bad days? IS THAT SO WRONG?! someone get this drama queen a bowl of chocolate ice cream. one of the big bowls.

three

Three Names I go by
1. Poop
2. J
3. Ica

Three Jobs I have had in my life
1. Nanny
2. East Side Marios, bada boom bada bing!
3. BYU computer lab

Three Places I have lived
1. Raymond AB
2. Laie Hawaii
3. Boise ID

Three Favorite drinks
1. Water
2. Minute maid juice
3. Herbal tea

Three TV Shows that I watch
1. The office
2. Biggest Loser
3. ...Simpsons

Three places I have been
1. Northwest Territories
2. Hawaii
3. Las Vegas

Three People that text me regularly
1. Blake
2. ...wow this is sad.
3. Angela

Three of my favorite foods
1. Oranges
2. Parfaits
3. Tacos

Three Things I am looking forward to
1. Going to the temple!
2. Getting married!
3. Blake to get here in 5 days!

Three of my favorite clothing items
1. My little black dress
2. My new heels
3. My dark ae jeans

Three places I would like to go
1. Australia
2. Rexburg (because that means me and Blake are MARRIED!)
3. India

Three things that will make me cry
1. Leaving Raymond and my family
2. When people are sad
3. When this wedding planning is still not over and neither is school and I am frustrated and stressed... Man I'm selfish...

Three things that will make me angry
1. When people are shallow
2. The name-brand obsession
3. In movies when you know something the characters don't and it ends up being the end of them and you wish you could have helped!

Three "perfect dates"
1. Skiing all day, followed by a delicious dinner on the living room floor and cuddling on the couch watching a romance or comedy
2. A drive to a picnic spot on a summers evening. Laying outside under a blanket of stars talking of good times
3. Pretty much anything with Blake..

DID I MENTION I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GET MARRIED?!?

L is G

I am grateful and happy and wanted to share this with you.

-My wedding dress is in my possession! as well as my veil. I couldn't be happier.
-Blake will be here in 15 days for the reception. After that, only 14 days until I see him again. And then 5 days until we wed!
-I saw twilight opening night. Better than the first, and I am definitely on Team Jacob. None of this scrawny pale neck-biter stuff.
-I am in DESPERATE need of some new music. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
-I am really excited for snow and skiing.
-Me and Blake registered for classes. We are taking American Foundations, Science Foundations, and Doctrine and Covenants together.
-Neither of us have school on fridays! and he doesn't have school on Wednesdays.
-I'm taking a skiing class...?
-I'm going through the temple in 2 weeks.
-My parents are taking my whole family to HAWAII for a week in Febrauary!
-School is 2.5 weeks away from being over.
-I'm in love and blessed and love every single day!

6 weeks?

kill me! thats TOO LONG!

gongshow!

things are coming along.. but i must say.. HOLY CRAP! sometimes i think my head is gunna 'splode. school, planning a wedding, and getting BYU visas and things in order is quite enough for me, thank you. but i know it's all worth it. because blake watson richards, you are the love of my life! and I can't wait to be your wifey!

here are a few of the photos from recently. the ring! blakey birthday boy, and the future mr and mrs richards. life is good!

i am

... in love, excited, and also engaged.


can't wait until January second.

what i got today.

‏

From:	International Admissions (intladmissions@byui.edu)
Sent:	October 9, 2009 12:45:32 PM
To:	jess_e8@hotmail.com

Dear Jessica,

Congratulations on being accepted to Brigham Young University-Idaho.

(oh sure, i am thrilled about this part! It's the next bit that really ruffles my feathers. those college administrators are real sneaky... leaving me hanging until the bad news. CHEEKY DEVILS)

The next step in our review process will be to determine your track assignment. BYU–Idaho students are assigned to a two-semester track for which they can enroll in classes. If you have not done so already, we invite you to provide additional information by completing a questionnaire.



Strange enough, this doesn't take away any of the stress I am feeling. I just want it to be, say, January! And I knew what was happening in my life! uuuuuuugh. I can't tell you how frustrated I am!

service

sooo.. for an act of service, someone can buy me these boots?!
since it's almost thanksgiving, i would be very thankful for them!



aldoshoes.com. size 8. thank you kindly.

better than hump day.

why i love tuesday, october 6, 2009:

1. my car battery died when I left the headlights on. consider it my initiation into the wintertime darkness.
- BUT my dad came and jumped me and gave me an excuse to drive around for a while and not do homework.

2. two 2 hour labs, back to back, 8 AM to noon.
- BUT they were fun and informative... identifying conifers and minerals? who doesn't love that?! (seriously.)

3. tried to find Blake a birthday present. what do you buy a man that has everything? I'M SERIOUS ON THIS TOO. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS?
- BUT, of course, kinda got distracted and bought myself new jeans and some new T's. BUT i justified it because none of my other pants fit! look at me go!

4. got home later than usual from school.
- BUT got to eat dinner with the fam and watch biggest loser... perfect timing really.

so I didn't get blake a birthday present, I have homework up to my cute button nose, i am tired and it's really windy. but i don't even care because today is now over and it is officially...

6 days until blake gets here.

twelve

richard will be here in 12 days...

i am more excited than this cat.

yo gabba gabba

Yo Gabba Gabba (elijah wood)



i love this show. it's what i am raising all 8 of my children on. and they will be awesome children.

just so you know.

so far i have kept up on all 3 of my goals.

and blake is coming in ONE MONTH!

in order of importance

blake watson richards. or as i like to call him, richard. my play mate. my lover. my best friend.

this summer, i went to visit him in Boise. it was sort of a gongshow figuring out my travel plans. I was stressed because i felt like i should be home getting ready for school and applying for byu and other 'important' things, and blake felt like we should spend as much time together as we could before i started school back home and was tied down with those commitments.

school five days a week + a boyfriend that lives 12 hours away + no incoming funds all summer = many phone calls, not enough time together, and no xoxo's!

so that was my struggle. stay only one week in boise and be 110% prepared for school? sounded like a good idea to me at the time. but this is something you should know about me that I have recently discovered:
often, I think of an idea out of the blue. and i think its a REALLY REALLY good idea for about a week. and then it hits me.. that my idea was horrible and not logical in any sense of the word and ridicuous.

so that's how it was with the boise trip. one day it hit me- be with blake while you can! school schmool! so i told blake to go ahead and book my flight home and to count on me staying for 3 wonderful weeks!

i love being with blake. i love rafting with blake, eating pita pit, skiing with blake, going to Xav, jumping in the fountain downtown fully clothed, going to the state fair and blake getting sick (not me!), running errands with blake (i even enjoyed when we went to the bank.), mowing with blake, and going to the doctor with blake! i can't get enough of him! i miss him and can't wait until october 13th when he comes to visit for an entire month.

thank you blake! thanks for being the best ever. thanks for being there for me and being patient with me. thanks for trying to understand where i'm coming from and trying to make me happy, even when i make it reaaaally hard. thanks for sticking through this with me. we've been thrown a few curve balls but i know we can get past anything. you are amazing and also very handsome. see you in 37 days!

p.s.

i'm not very good at this.

dear brains for hair,

you deserve a face lift.

i'm working on it.

love jessica.

i can dream...

I know anyone that knows me and looks at this will think... Jessica would NOT wear that. and maybe I wouldn't... in public. but i really really REALLY want it to prance around in at home! and for my husband one day maybe... think good thoughts, think good thoughts.

idaho and 3 goals

so far my Boise trip has been just dandy. a couple awesome rafting trips, some helping out via babysitting (i think i won't have kids for ten more years.), and just hanging with blake. i haven't taken any pictures so don't expect any. it's hot today, and I'm coming home in a week, and I am excited.
i have made a goal or two. if i blog maybe i will actually do them.

1. learn 'don't stop me now' by Queen on piano. (never heard it? that's a sad sad life my friend..) I've got the sheet music and man is it way more advanced than my skill level! practice practice practice i suppose.
2. I am going to go to church in my own singles ward every week.. for all three hours too! AND go to institute.
3. I am going to run/work out AT LEAST three times a week. don't wanna get to crazy and tell myself i'll do five days a week when i know i won't. so three it is.

now sit down and enjoy this freaking video! I'm going to the record company to buy me a Queen vinyl!

almost there...

In the morning I am leaving for Boise. EEK! I am so excited to see Blakey-poo. I'm staying for three weeks. And I'm gunna go rafting, and go to Merrits, and to see Xavier RUDD! I can't wait! Xav is amazing! and so is BLAKE!



I thought I would post some photos from our little family vacation to Lundbreck Falls. I wish I was still ten and that everyone could come on family vacations and that technology wasn't so available EVERYWHERE you go. I don't care how convenient cell phones in Waterton are... I wish there was no service there! I guess what I am trying to say is... I would like to take off into the woods one day. Like on Into The Wild. HA okay no not at all like that. you get it though right?
wow, good thing I take pictures of people... ha. I love that cloud picture. I love Mother Earth.

Next on my vacation list is Waterton- August Long. Camping with the Heggie fam. Very much fun. My first time ever hiking to Bertha Bay. and WHY?! It's an awesome place. Jumping off the dock was awesome. The length is awesome, just a 45 minutes jaunt. Even when you got a baby on your back, it's still awesome. And after a hot hot hot hike, the cold cold cold water is awesome. and Tina and my's (correct grammer?) photoshoot, we were feeling pretty awesome... unfortunately I can't post those. and Tina has all the other good pictures from this hike. Dang it.

ok erin jane.

i took your test.

folk fest

can't wait!

better things to do than blog

So I've sort of stopped blogging. It's not a priority anymore (like it was before..?) So I'll just leave you with that and go on with this post, which has absolutely no rhyme or reason.

1. I love Waterton. I'm sure if you read Amy's blog you will find out all about the entirety of the trip. One detail she failed to mention is that we had a special visitor.. BLAKEY POO!! I am so glad he came. We fished, saw bears, and he jumped off cliffs (I think I am afraid of heights? Vimy scared me being up so high. It's a freaking long way down!). Also, Blake's brother Hayden came up too.. one last hoorah before he goes to college and the mish.

the red rock hot tub. ya, NOT.
this is Blake, being SABERTOOTH without even knowing it... so fierce and manly. (I love wolverine.)

so after Blake went home (sad.) there took pace a little Vegas House reunion. and it just so happened to be in the bathroom at Nate's reception. Classy ladies.
I miss those days... but the current days are awesome! it was great to see jane and karl and ash all in the same place at the same time.

then.. i hiked the summit. with some of the best company around. and might i add that i am grateful for the NOT ridiculous pace that was set and the time that was allotted for fishing!!!! I recently have found true love in fishing, thanks to Rich. my fishing rod has now caught at least 6 fish, and I have taken the responsibility of gutting my fish (two now.) AND the last one I even put out of his misery myself.. which was a little much for me.. but us humans gotta eat, right?and ever since then, as an unemployed adult, I have been doing whatever I can to not go flipping crazy! I am just counting down the days (NINETEEN!) until Grandma D, Mom and me roadtrip to Boise to see my lovely blake. I am definitely enjoying our above-ground pool and spent 2 hours on saturday jumping from the trampoline into the pool. also, going on runs with Lucy and Sage are great and I busted out the ol' paint-by-numbers yesterday.
NOTE: today I watched Dances with Wolves. It was so sweet.
and all this hiking, fishing, being in the mountains has made me SO excited to start school in september. Environmental Science. YES. my classes include: plant taxonomy, soil research, physical geology, terrestrial ecology, scientific and technical writing, and... BOOOOO... stats! already having to take stats ONCE in hawaii, I know i am in for a tough semester. But i am so excited to be learning again and actually using this mushy grey intestine-looking thing in my head.

06.06

I had a vundabar birthday! Thanks everyone!

It started off with some delicious breakfast at Goldy's downtown with Richard, and some walking through the local market. After some eggs, maple sausage, potatoes and an english muffin, we headed to the Record Exchange, where I bought my second vinyl... Billy Joel, Piano Man!
Then back home where me and Kara soon left and went and got... pedicures! Nothing more mature and lady-like than a pedicure right?! That's what I said. A few errands and a DQ dipped cone later, we were back home just in time for me to shower and get ready for my not-so-surprise party.
On Friday, after I got home from work, Tim says something to me along the lines of "Do me a favor, since I'm gunna be up till three in the morning making this pulled pork for your party.." uuuuh.. what? But anyways, so I found out. The point is Blake tried to surprise me. He's so sweet.
So at 6:00 the Cole, Richards, Stone and Dudley families gathered for some delicious food! Pulled pork, tri-tip steak, watermelon, buns, coleslaw, pasta salad, and of course, Dairy Queen ice cream cake! It was delish.
And Blake got me a fishing rod! He is the bomb. and Kara got me some awesome gumboots, so I can trudge around in the muck when I'm fishing. Movie tickets and a Sonic gift card will also help me and Blake have one (or many) wonderful evenings, while I'm smelling great with new lotion.
The day successfully ended with some lightning watching and Donny nearly getting stuck in the mud. It was a good day. I have a great birthday because when I fill out forms for anything, I don't even have to look at which is the month and which is the day, because they are the SAME! So I just slap down 06 anywhere I please. It's awesome. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

children

searched through 3,605 photos to find these gems! starring: brogan, paisley, anya, sierra, emma, piper, blake, and me!

my new roommate

her name is Peaches and she has eight legs.
if she scares you maybe you should stop coming over..