Real life update...

I very seldom discuss our "real life" issues on here, so I thought I would take a moment and discuss where we are at right now.

Chris is 1/2 way through law school! Hallelujah! Rejoice! Amen! If this next year and a half go by as quickly as the first we are definitely on the downhill slope. He now gets to pick his courses and really enjoys all of his business courses, especially bankruptcy. He was also given the opportunity to participate in the SMU Tax Clinic. This is a group of about 10 students who do pro-bono tax law for locals. It's pretty neat because he is getting to practice law & he doesn't technically have his JD (He had to apply for a temporary bar license)

In addition to school Chris is still working part time at HKB here in Dallas. He absolutely loves his coworkers and is so blessed to have such a positive work environment. If you had told me 2 years ago that working for the Strong Arm would be such a blessing in our life I would have cringed. After the first 2 semesters and a let down from Underwood we both realized that sometimes life doesn't always turn out how you want or even how you like, but it will be ok. When God closes a door he opens a window. Cliche, I know, but for us it is so true. I sometimes wonder if I would take our good fortune for granted had Chris dominated his first 2 semesters, gotten an internship at a big law firm, and stepped into a $200,000 a year job right out of law school? Or would I have the mindset that I deserved it?

As for me.... my company merged. Butler Animal Health Supply & Henry Schien merged to form Butler Schein. Yes, I work for But Schein. Work for me is the same ole same ole. Just trying to survive this merger.

&&& I love my husband because.... he mad a 3.5 this semester.

Hello Dean's list!

Haircut(e)?

I got my hair did yesterday... which is something I usually enjoy. I always LOVE the way that the professionals fix my hair and even plan my appointments around special events. That is until recently... The last 3 times I've gotten my hair cut I left the salon unhappy. I don't know whether it's my exhaustion, bad hair style, or just being irritable, but I have had an awful experience with haircuts.

Everything was fine until the dreaded bang trim. Once she started blow drying my bangs to the wrong side I knew I was in for disappointment. When she finally swept them to my correct side all they wanted to do was part down the middle and look greasy (my pet peeveeee). After 20 minutes of trimming, spraying, wetting, and drying they looked no better. I gave up, pulled them back with a bobbi pin and went on my merry way.

This was after I rewashed my bangs and fixed them myself... MUCH better!

Invasion of the Joneses

For the first time since I can remember the ENTIRE Jones clan (all 10 of us) were able to get together in Dallas. The Amarillo bunch flew in around 1 on Saturday while Mitch's clan drove in from Azle a little later in the afternoon.

The mission: To find the perfect Symphony Ball dress. We hit the ground running the moment we left the airport. We shopped for 4 full hours on Saturday and I found nothing that I loved. I was bummed. After church on Sunday we went out again with high hopes. After trying on an awesome Betsey Johnson dress at Nordstrom's it hit me... We HAD to go to the Betsey Johnson store. Victory! Liz & I both found the perfect dresses at BJ. We tried on about 15 each (all of which were awesome) and narrowed it down to our faves.

Other than our dress mission we managed to get some quality time with the whole fam. at Hector's, play hours of Beatles Rockband with Liz & Eric, and love on our sweet little nephews. &&& I love my husband because... he has such an awesome family. I can't imagine a more perfect fit for my in-laws!

Teaser, Pleaser, Take it away...

Whitney came up from Tulsa this weekend for a much needed visit. Whitney's other good friend from college, Jessica, also lives in Dallas and is getting married in a couple weeks, so we made it a bachelorette weekend. In the end there were 9 girls! The more the merrier.

We spent Friday night in, ordered pizza, ate cupcakes, drank wine, and watched a movie. My idea of an awesome Friday night. Saturday we shopped till we dropped. We were up and out by 10 and shopped till 4 in the afternoon. We hit Nordstroms Rack, Sacks off 5th, and of course Northpark.

Saturday night is where the real fun went down... Pole dancing class. Yes, Pole Dancing class. We had a private lesson at "The Girls Room" on Greenville. I was very skeptical... very skeptical, but it turned out to be one of the most fun experiences.... and it wasn't even awkward.

The key phrase that "every pole dancer lives by" .

TEASER.PLEASER.TAKE IT AWAY

&&& I love my husband because... he though it was humorous that I took this class...

10 years ago..

Chris and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary last week, which left me reflecting back on our years spent together. It's weird to think that we met and began dating 10 years ago.... 10 years!! Because of our history we got to experience so much of our lives together.

We got to go to prom (2 times!), football banquet, social, high school gradutation, & college graduation ALL TOGETHER. We moved off to college together. We experienced life in the dorms together... We had crazy odd roomates whom we were determined were destined to be together (my roomate dissed his btw). We moved into the sorority/fraternity house at the same time & experienced live with multiple roomates together. We took college algebra & speech together. We sat side by side at our college graduation. We sat in our first apartment and applied for law school/real world jobs together.

We he had our ups...

And we had our downs...

But it all comes down to the simple fact that I am deeply in love with my husband... always have been always will be. He is my other half & without him I would be incomplete.

Chris & Shan 2003 Chris & Shan 2009

&&& I love my husband because... He has put up with me for TEN YEARS!! & I know that wasn't always easy :)

100 Life Goals

With the new year here I began to think about what to accomplish in 2010. As I started brainstorming about my ideas and goals I decided it'd be a fun idea to write down my "100 Life Goals" so that I can look back in a year, 10 years, 50 years and see what all I have accomplished. Some are silly and some are serious, but all are straight from my heart...

1. Workout 3 times per week... even when I don't feel like it.
2. Study Spanish & learn to speak the language fluently
3. Write an autobiography
4. Volunteer! Volunteer! Volunteer! Any time I am given the chance
5. Travel through Europe without a plan
6. Learn to say "No" (even to family members)
7. Throw a fabulous party
8. Own a BMW
9. Be a contestant on Family Feud
10. Become a foster parent
11. Open a clothing store for fun
12. Stay in touch with my BFF's & see them at least once per year
13. Improve/Enjoy cooking
14. Start having family dinners minus the television
15. Document EVERYTHING with photos
16. Show my husband the love and affection he deserves
17. Live within our means
18. Build my dream home for us to grow old in
19. Learn to play guitar (or any instrument)
20. Go to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
21. Don't sweat the small stuff
22. Do an Angel Tree each year at Christmas
23. Have a big, loving, happy family... preferably before I'm 30
24. Build traditions with my family
25. Travel! See the world
26. Be positive
27. Send Christmas cards every year
28. Apolagize to all the people I've wronged
29. Be an active member in our church
30. Own a boat and a lake house for my family to share
31. Teach Sunday School
32. Journal everyday
33. Find a job I truly love & enjoy
34. Love unconditionally
35. Run a marathon ... ok maybe a half
36. Remember birthdays & send cards ON TIME
37. Repay my parents for all they've given us
38. Own horses & land
39. Celebrate our 25th, 50th, 75th ... etc anniversaries (as many as our lives permit)
40. Love myself
41. Live in a foreign country for a year
42. Join the Peace Corps
43. Take a spin class
44. Save money
45. Own a fabulous pair of designer heels
46. Fly a plane
47. Pray... often & about everything
48. No swearing
49. Family first, always.
50. Buy an hold home with character and revive it
51. Be an example to our kids through our marriage
52. Have FUN! always & everywhere.. life is supposed to be fun
53. Attend at least 1 Oklahoma State University football game per year
54. Bowl a 300
55. Forgive
56. Fly on a private jet
57. Go to an Oprah show
58. See Tom Petty live
59. Take ballroom dancing lessons with Chris
60. Read the Bible from cover to cover
61. Win BIG in Vegas
62. Take care of my parents as they grow older
63. Read the top 100 novels
64. Go Vegiterian for a year
65. Head a committee
66. Join the Junior League
67. Look good naked
68. Go to the Kentucky Derby
69. Remember people's names when introduced
70. Be able to touch my nose with my tongue
71. Coach a kids sports team
72. Work on a political campaign
73. Live by my values
74. Continue my education each year (take a class etc...)
75. Tithe
76. Own a vineyard.. or at least spend a romantic weekend at one
77. Win a spades tournament at Jones Family Christmas
78. Give Paris another chance
79. Stay up with the times
80. Retire young
81. Build an awesome tree house for my kids
82. Give a toast at a wedding
83. Never weigh over 120lbs.
84. Pay off our mortgage in 15 years
85. Be a good listener
86. Be an active & involved aunt in my nephews lives
87. Take a vacation once a year with my husband (just the 2 of us)
88. Give really thoughtful gifts at Christmas
89. Be a Matron of Honor
90. Donate my hair to Locks of Love once every 5 years

&&& I love my husband because... he inspires me everyday to be a better person.