Celebrating Cinco de Mayo Puerto Vallarta style!

Those that know us, know that Mr Jones and I are "secret Mexicans"...basically, we LIVE for Mexican food. We could exist solely on Mexican food. Seriously.

(Side note: If I had my way, we never would've returned from our honeymoon in Mexico...we would've changed our names to Tatiana and Jesus and lived a happy little Mexican life. But I digress...)

There is a small, family owned authentic Mexican restaurant called Puerto Vallarta about 5 minutes from us. Needless to say, we frequent this restaurant a lot (I'm talking bi-weekly...if not weekly every so often). The owner, Pablo, knows us well and greets us with "¡Hola amigos! ¿Cómo estás?" every time we walk in. I have even had lengthy conversations with him in Spanish. (That was fun!)

Last night, we decided it was time to celebrate...Puerto Vallarta style! It was Cinco de Mayo after all. It would be practically a sin not to...right?

Mr Jones and his 32oz XX beer (he didn't believe me when I told him the sign said draft beers were 32oz!)


Mmmm...fajitas and a strawberry daquiri...what more can a girl ask for?


The aftermath...LOL!


All of the booths were handcarved and painted in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Each one is different and each one is just beautiful!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Cinco de Mayo!

Sorry the picture quality sucks...I had to use my cell phone.

And that's what makes us...us

As evidenced in a previous post, Mr Jones and I have some pretty silly text conversations while at work. Hey, whatever keeps us entertained, right??

I heart my husband.
I heart our silliness.

Me: I learned this morning that on average, people are more afraid of spiders than death. (He HATES spiders)
Him: That is because we can't escape death. There is no reason to fear it. We can escape spiders though. When you see one, you should run away like a little girl.
Me: Ah...I did not realize that was the proper course of action when encountering a spider. Thank you for that insight.


And a little while later, I got this...
(We are going out to a Japanese steakhouse tonight...yay sushi!)

Him: Got a large coffee this morning...I am now physically prepared for the feast. Now I will concentrate on the mental aspect
Me: Do you have some chopsticks to exercise your hand? Wouldn't want it to cramp up on you in the middle of sushi time!

Looking for a Solution? Just ask the Husband.

I came into work this morning...and what do I see sitting on my desk??

This.

A 40 oz bag of sheer yummy goodness. Apparently, the candy God is in tune with my needs because lo-and-behold there is a bag of Kit Kat and Reese's PB cups sitting on my desk. You see, my coworker (aforementioned candy God) knows Kit Kats and Reese's PB cups are my favorite candy...I always pick through her candy jar and take them all.

I am in sugar high heaven! (And I may or may not have opened the bag at 8:30am. Breakfast of champions, I'm sure...)

But this huge bag of candy posed a teensy little problem. I am trying to eat healthier. And lots of chocolate certainly isn't going to help that cause...regardless of how badly I want it to (trust me, I tried to figure it out!).

So what's a girl to do?
Well, this girl texted her husband to ask for help...

Me: (picture of candy attached) This could be bad - coworker brought me these today because she knows they are my favorite. What to do? What to do?

Him: You'll have to bring part of it home so I can...properly dispose...of them.

Me: I knew I could count on you to remedy the situation.

Him: The solution is as follows: om, nom, nom, nom

Me: That sounds like a yummy solution. I may need to try it.

Heart him.

One of Heaven's Newest Angel

I. am. exhausted. This weekend has gone by in a complete blur. I'm not even sure what day it is.

Last Thursday, I received a phone call from Mr Jones saying his grandpa, who was in the hospital due to a car accident, had taken a turn for the worse. His kidneys were shutting down and he wasn't expected to live though the night.

This was heartbreaking because Grandpa was everything to us.

He was Grandma's fierce guardian whose life was devoted to taking care of and protecting her.

He was a "father" to Mr Jones whose parents split up when he was little.

He was the heart of the family.

Grandpa was taken off life support at 11:30am on Friday and took his last breath around 4:00pm with Grandma by his side holding his hand.

Heaven has gained a wonderful new angel.

We will miss him terribly.

Celebrating Grandpa's 81st birthday and Brian's 26th birthday (March 2007)

Crab Feast in Maryland...the best! (August 2007)

Last picture of Grandpa...at our wedding (November 2009)

Making a difference for Sick Kids - one smile at a time

It all started back in 2002 when I purchased something on eBay (of course, I've long since forgotten what it was!). In the seller's "About Me" page, she had written "Making a difference for sick kids, one smile at a time" along with a website link. This immediately caught my attention so I clicked the link...and spent the next couple of hours reading.

Reading stories of sick children. Children battling potentially life-threatening illnesses. Children who should be outside running around instead of being confined to a hospital bed fighting for their lives. Children who should have the right to just be children.

It broke my heart. I knew I had to do what I could to put a smile on these children's faces so I subscribed to the newsletter and became a Hugs & Hope volunteer.

Over the years (almost 8...hard to believe!), I've sent out many packages/cards and (hopefully) put a smile on many kids' faces.

I think the site is wonderful and the hearts of the volunteers, enormous.
I wanted to share this passion of mine with you, my friends out in Blogland. Maybe you will join me in putting a smile on some kids' faces? Something as simple as a "Thinking of You" card makes a difference.

In the words of Marsha, the site's founder:

Children fighting for their lives have very little to smile about. You can change that by sending them some "Happy Mail." Cheery cards give these kids a few more smiles, a little more hope, and a reason to get out of bed each day.

Experience the satisfaction of making a sick child's day and giving them something to look forward to. Send a card and a hug -- one of the smiles you create just might be your own!

Dr Jekyll and Ms Hyde?

So I've gone from the weepy, emotional Taryn of Monday to super irritable and grouchy Taryn. Everything is getting on my nerves...from the slow drivers on the highway to the pending rain showers we are supposed to be getting today...through next Monday. It's supposed to rain for 6 days straight. Yippee. Not.

I honestly think I'd prefer the crying.

I need to get myself under control before Mr Jones decides he doesn't want a Walking Mood Swing as his wife.

And, no, I'm not pregnant (haha). If my guess is correct, this theory will be proven false in the next day or two.

Emotional Wreck - That's Me!

I've been crying at everything lately.

A sad commercial? I have tears rolling down my cheeks.
A happy-ending on a TV show? I'm a blubbering idiot.

Mr Jones and I watched 3:10 To Yuma on Saturday. A shoot-em-up Western...and I'm bawling at the end! What is my problem??

Currently, I'm watching The Ghost Whisperer on the SyFy Channel and turning into a big ol' baby on the couch.

Oy. I need to get it together!

The Great (Last) Name Debate

Hayley's comment on my semi vent post yesterday really got me thinking...

She wrote:
i feel your pain! peeps always ask us this too...i tell them "the exact same as before...except my name's different, and we owe more taxes"

You see, my name isn't completely different.
Yup, I'm one of those people...well, kind of.
I took Mr Jones' last name...and kept mine.
I have two last names.

I truly never thought I'd have two last names. I grew up dreaming about meeting my Prince Charming, getting married, and becoming Mrs. Somebody. It never crossed my mind to not become Mrs Somebody...until that dream became a reality and it was time to change my name.

That's when I got scared. That's when I realized I had to give up something that was me, something that had helped define me for 29 years. I wasn't ready...and I didn't know if I ever would be.

Mr Jones and I had discussions about me keeping my maiden name in addition to taking his last name. We had discussions about me hyphenating my last name...and how that would affect our future children because I, of course, want to have the same last name as my children.

During one of these discussions, Mr Jones admitted that he was a little hurt I didn't want to change my name completely. He said it felt like I wasn't proud to become his wife. This stopped me in my tracks...I had never thought of it that way.

Keeping my maiden name in no way meant that I wasn't proud to be his wife. That I wasn't beside myself with happiness that I was about to commit myself to my true love, for better and worse, for the rest of my life. Keeping my maiden name was about keeping a little piece of me...a security blanket of sorts. Something that, no matter how hard he tried, he wouldn't be able to fully understand.

So, when the Social Security officer glanced up at me and asked in a bored voice, "Do you want to keep both last names?", I didn't hesitate in responding with "Absolutely."

But...to be fair, I did ask Mr Jones if he was ok with it first. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt my husband, the man I will have by my side forever and always. I mean, I will be spending an awful lot of time with him...so it's probably best that he approves, huh?

Oh, and for the record, I didn't hyphenate. :)
And I kept my middle name.

It wasn't me...oh wait, yes it was

Over the past 5 months, there has been many-a-morning where I was greeted with a face full of water when I turned on the shower.

The reason?

Somebody (ahem, Mr Jones) didn't check to see if the little thingie that you pull up to switch the water flow the shower head was down (see below picture) after his shower the previous morning...so guess what happens when the water is turned on? Yup. It comes out the shower head. Directly into my face. And early morning water is COLD.

Not my actual shower

This morning, I received another face full of cold water.
And immediately blamed Mr Jones. And got all worked up and ready to give him crap about not checking to make sure the thingie was down when I had asked him to so many times.

Until I realized he wasn't the last one to take a shower yesterday morning - I was.
Oops.

(BTW, what in the heck is that little thingie called?? Does it have a name?)

Back in the saddle...errrr...I mean the ice skates

Lately, I've been bitten by the skating bug. And I blame it on Kim (hehe!). I met my life twin, Kim, on The Knot while planning my wedding. I call her my life twin because she is also a former figure skater, our cats could be twins, and we pretty much share the same brain. Honest.

Kim understands my affection for "rink air" and how it's completely different than regular air. And she understands what I mean when I say I feel like I'm about to shoot the duck (no, I'm not out hunting)...or that another friend's leggings look like mondors.

It was pretty much a given that we'd eventually go skating together even though it took us a few months to set up a skate date. But we did. And it was fabulous. Ever since Mr Jones and I went with her and her fiance a few weekends ago, I've been itching to get back on the ice.

I even bought a new skate bag! A girl's gotta have something to tote her skating stuff around in, doesn't she? :) And, yes, I'm a nice wife...I let Mr Jones put his skates in there too.

Now, we just need to get back to the rink!!

Can we say Baby Fever?!

I know I can!

So many of my real life and bloggie friends are expecting. It's certainly a baby boom around here!! And it's given me major baby fever.

My "snow day" has consisted of watching A Baby Story, Bringing Home Baby, Make Room for Baby, Birth Day...the list goes on and on.

I think the TV is trying to tell me something. *grin*

New Year, New Goals

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! Sorry I've been MIA lately. Mr Jones and I have been busy taking down the Christmas decorations (booooo!) and running errands around town. We had wedding gift returns/exchanges as well as Christmas gift returns/exchanges. That definitely took up a lot of our vacation time!

How I feel about taking down our decorations (the Dell and Amazon boxes are makeshift Christmas storage boxes)

Now that 2010 is here, it's time for me to set new goals for myself. I don't call them resolutions because, face it, who really keeps their New Year's Resolutions? They've become something that people swear they'll do, year after year, knowing full well they will fall off the resolution bandwagon after the first month or so.

By setting goals for myself, I will strive to achieve them...but if I don't, I will just try harder next year. :) Somehow, goals don't seem as daunting (and disappointing) as resolutions...at least in my (potentially weird) mind.


My Goals for 2010

1. Treat my body the way it should be treated. This includes exercising more and eating healthier. This is probably everyone's goal for 2010...and I wish us all the best of luck!

2. Be the best wife I can be. Heck, I may even attempt to cook while Mr Jones is in class on Mondays and Tuesdays. This may or may not be a success, but we'll see. LOL.

3. Not stress/worry so much about the small stuff. I let things get to me...too much sometimes. My stressing/worrying isn't going to change things so I need to learn to let it go and trust everything will be ok.

4. Be thankful for the good in my life rather than focusing on the negative.

5. Make sure I get enough "girl dates" with my friends. I tend to be a homebody and want to stay home with my love...but I've had such a blast at the last few get-togethers with my friends that I am realizing just how important it is to me and my happiness. I plan on scheduling at least one "girl date" per month (so local friends, be ready!).

6. Stop spending/buying unnecessary items...and focus on the necessities. This one will be a hard one because I have an (itty bitty, teeny weeny) obsession with jeans.

7. More random acts of kindness. I feel good when others feel good...and if I can make that happen, awesome! :)

8. Help my bride-to-be friends (woot for my 2010 brides!) in anyway I can. This one won't be hard because I (gasp!) miss wedding planning.

9. Take better care of my car. I tend to ignore the problems...but the reality is, I'm going to have this car for a while so I need to give it the love it needs. Either that, or be left stranded on the side of the road. LOL.

10. Take better care of my skin. I've very lucky to have good skin, but I don't always take my makeup off at night. And I don't moisturize like I should. I'm sure the neglect will come back and bite me in the butt someday.

What are your goals for 2010?

I have a confession to make...

Hello, my name is Taryn and I am a Grammar Nazi. Truthfully, it's not much of a confession though. Those that know me, know I am picky about grammar...and, if I know you well enough, I will probably correct your mistakes. In the most loving way possible, of course.

That's not to say I run around reading people's blogs and judging them by the way they write...I would never do that. Heck, I know I'm not perfect...I just try to be the best little English major I can be. :)

A friend of mine showed me this link today...needless to say, I was amused. There are more than a few people I know who should print this out and post it next to the computer. Just sayin'...

Just a little bit of pampering...

As the wedding draws closer, I have started dreaming more and more about having a "spa day"...the kind you see in the movies. A facial, a massage, a mud bath...the works. Sounds like pure bliss, huh? Only problem is that all of that gets really expensive really fast. As do weddings. *sigh* If only I were rich...

Until Mr Jones or I hit the jackpot (wouldn't that be nice??), I'll have to settle for my favorite little bit of pampering...getting bi-weekly manicures. I love getting my nails done. It's so relaxing sitting back and letting someone else worry about making my nails gorgeous. I feel so pretty and sophisticated with my French manicure.

Taken after my latest manicure...don't worry, I was at a stoplight when I snapped the pic. :)
Yes, those are my real nails...I've been asked that many, many times. Haha!

S0...how do you pamper yourself?

Ask a question...any question!

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm totally stealing Katie's idea, but it's a fun idea!! And my blog needs some fun right now (I've been a bit neglectful). Yesterday, Katie over at Loves of Life asked her followers what they wanted to know about her...anything at all. She was asked some great questions and I really enjoyed reading all her answers. It turns out, we're a lot alike (anyone want to join us for chips & salsa at On the Border???).

So my lovely followers, I'm asking you...is there anything you want to know about me? I'm an open book (well, within reason of course!). Ask away...and I promise I'll answer. :)

Another chapter of my life has come to a close

Well, as of 5:30pm today, I no longer reside at 303 Smith St, Apt 421. That's right, folks...I turned in my keys.

Mr Jones, my parents, and I moved the rest of the big items last Friday. It was a little bittersweet closing and locking the door for the last time. Don't get me wrong, I won't miss the apartment for one split second, but this was my apartment...no one else's. I supported myself. I proved to myself that I could do it, that I didn't need help. But, it's time to look forward to the future...to my life as Mrs. Jones.

Goodbye screen door that never closed properly and let the bees in. Goodbye closet door that always came off the track (and drove me crazy). Goodbye outdated dishwasher from 1973. Goodbye Apt 421.

All About Us - a love survey

I got this survey from Heather at Live.Love.Laugh. I love her blog - you should definitely head over and show her some love!

♥ What are your middle names?

Mine - Kay
His - Curtis

♥ How long have you been together?
3 years (as of yesterday!)

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
Ummm...a couple weeks?

♥ Who asked whom out?
He asked me out. We were chatting on IM and he said he was going rollerblading at Clio Park (the city where I was living) and asked if I wanted to come along.

♥ How old are each of you?
Me - 29
Him - 28
I'm robbing the cradle - haha!

♥ Whose siblings do/did you see the most?
Definitely my brother and sis-in-law. We very rarely see his brother.

♥ Do you have any children together?
Nope - not yet!

♥ What about pets?
My kitties - Sammy and Bo. Thankfully, Mr Jones likes animals. :)

♥ Did you go to the same school?
Nope - we grew up in different cities and went to different colleges.

♥ Are you from the same home town?
See above. :) We grew up about 30 miles apart from each other.

♥ Who is the smartest?
He would probably say me because I'm more "book smart". When it comes to computers though, he's the "Wizard" (as nicknamed from his Geek Squad years).

♥ Who is more sensitive?
This is kind of an obvious answer - me. After working at Best Buy (Geek Squad) for 6.5 years, he learned to not let things bother him.

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
We love Mexican! There is a small, family-run restaurant nearby called Puerto Vallarta - definitely a favorite. We also like to hit up the Ruby Tuesday salad bar (warm croutons = love).

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
San Diego, CA. Come November, the furthest will be Playa Mujeres, Mexico. :) :)

♥ Who has the craziest exes?
Oy - definitely him. His ex is a total piece of work.

♥ Who has the worst temper?
Definitely me. He doesn't get mad very often.

♥ Who does the cooking?
Poor Mr Jones. I don't cook. At all. Thankfully, he loves to cook - and I let him. Why ruin a good thing? Haha!

♥ Who is more social?
Moi - I love people. Mr is a bit more reserved until he gets to know you.

♥ Who is the neat-freak?
Both of us like to be organized - we hate clutter. Neither of us likes to clean though.

♥ Who is more stubborn?
Realistically, it's probably equal, but I usually win because he gives in eventually. I guess that means I'm more stubborn, huh?

♥ Who hogs the bed?
Neither of us - we share peacefully. :)

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
Weekdays: It depends on the day and what time Mr needs to work. If he works at 7, he gets up before me. If he works the later shifts, I get up first.
Weekends: Always me - usually by an hour or more.

♥ Where was your first date?
Clio Park

♥ Who has the bigger family?
Definitely him. He is related to everyone (it seems like) in his hometown. His grandpa is one of 12 kids and his mom is one of 4 (all of which have families/kids).

♥ Do you get flowers often?
Not too often - Mr thinks they are silly because they just die. He prefers to buy me something that will last.

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
Thanksgiving - Usually his mom's house, but we try to trade off every year.
Christmas Eve/Christmas - We always work out a schedule to spend time with both families (i.e. Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas with his mom...or vice versa).

♥ Who is more jealous?
Neither one of us is particularly jealous, but I guess I would say me simply because I'm a girl and girls turn into green-eyed monsters every once in a while.

♥ How long did it take to get serious?
Oh, a week or so. Haha! Honestly, I would say a month or less.

♥ Who eats more?
Usually him, but it depends on the day - and how hungry I am!

♥ Who does/did the laundry?
Both of us - but I fold the shirts because he can't do it to save his life.

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Definitely him - he has a computer information systems degree and works as a Network Admin. I know how to use one and that's about it.

♥ Who drives when you are together?
Always him - unless he's physically unable (i.e. after his eye surgery).

Happy (non) Anniversary to us!

Three years ago today, Mr Jones officially asked me to be his girlfriend. It sure doesn't feel like it's been that long!

I was told, though, that it's not technically our anniversary anymore. Now that we are getting schmarried (his word, not mine), we have a new anniversary...well, almost. Regardless of that, I still wanted to say Happy (non) Anniversary, my love. I am so lucky to have you....you are my everything.

Our 1st picture together - Marc & Nina's wedding (2006)


Mr Jones' 26th birthday (2007)


Maryland/DC Trip (2007)


San Diego (2008)



Maryland/DC Trip (2008)


Mackinac Island Trip (2008) - excuse us, we were gross from riding our bikes all around the island.

Honesty is the always best policy

Muchas gracias to my new bloggie friend, Brittany over at Sweet, Sassy, and oh so Classy for sending me the Honest Scrap Award! I've seen others posting 10 honest things about themselves and often wondered what I would say about myself if I was tagged. Well, it looks like I better figure it out, huh?

As I posted in my Personality Traits, I'm a very honest person so this shouldn't be *too* hard for me...right? Here goes nothing...

1. I was a figure skater growing up, but I quit when I went away to college (HUGE regret). I miss it a lot, but I'm scared it's been too long to start back up again.

2. I am mostly deaf in my left ear. I wore a hearing aide from age 3 until I was in 6th grade, at which point, my audiologist told me I didn't have to wear it if I kept my grades up. I graduated high school with a 3.98 GPA. :)

3. I am such a goodie-goodie. I have never smoked a cigarette nor tried any drugs. I've also never been drunk.

4. During the winter, I pick at my lower lip constantly. It is always raw and red. It's a terrible habit, but I can't seem to stop doing it.

5. I LOVE to read...and I always have. Once, when I was little, I read the Bible in a hotel room because my dad hadn't brought my books up to the room yet.

6. I potty-trained myself at 2 during a trip from Michigan to New Hampshire. Apparently, I decided I didn't like wearing diapers anymore. This may or may not have been caused by the stubbornness mentioned in the Personality Traits post. Haha!

7. I am scared spitless of needles! I kicked the nurse once when she tried to draw blood...I was 25. This has *barely* gotten better as I've gotten older. I don't kick nurses anymore, but I do cry.

8. I am obsessive about my handwriting. If something looks messy or a letter looks funny, I will start over...even if I'm almost done writing.

9. I. love. roller coasters. I would live at Cedar Point if they'd let me and ride the coasters over and over.

10. Before meeting Mr Jones, I truly thought I would never find my Prince Charming. I was so afraid of having to spend the rest of my life alone.

And my tags:

Jessica @ Satin and Lace
Lysandra @ A Fortunate Life
Beth @ All I've Ever Wanted
Ebonee @ Becoming His Mrs
Sony @ Bridal Bliss
Summer @ B is for Brown
Chaotic Bliss
Julie @ Ross Family Adventures
Amy Lynn @ The Un-wife Housewife
Jill @ Peeptoe Pumps & Pearls

My first Tag - Personality Traits Meme Award

My favorite little Honey Dew over at Life After I "Dew" tagged me for the Premium Meme award. This award requires that I list 7 traits about myself and then pass the award to 7 other bloggers who deserve recognition for the personality they share through their blog.

So, all about me...in 7 personality traits. :)

1. Honest. I am brutally honest - definitely not one to beat around the bush. If I'm angry, you will know it. If I am upset, you will know it. If you ask for my opinion, you will get it. My mom has always told me I didn't come with a Mute button or a Censor button. Oops!

2. Affectionate. I love being loved and I love loving on others. I am so lucky that my kitties are affectionate and like being cuddled - though they wouldn't have much choice either way (haha!). Mr Jones is affectionate as well - he is always giving me a hug or a kiss in passing. If I put my head on his shoulder, he automatically kisses it. Love it.

3. Fun loving/Happy. I am rarely serious. Most of the time, I have a big smile on my face. If I try to be serious, I usually start laughing. Life is too short to live unhappy.

4. Easily distracted. As a little girl, I would often wander off if something caught my eye. I'm sure it gave my mom several moments of panic (sorry, Mom!). As an adult, I am still easily distracted. If I see something out of the corner of my eye, I will look. If I am in a store and see something I want to look at, I will wander off. I wonder if I'll ever outgrow it. Probably not...

5. Trusting. I am probably too trusting. I am just like Miss Honey Dew in that I see the good in people and give my trust easily. It has definitely come back to bite me in the butt though. I have been hurt so many times by people I thought were my friends - turns out, they had no qualms about turning on me.

6. Caring. I've been told before that I'm too nice. Is there really such a thing? Probably, but I choose not to think so. I love giving gifts to my friends - usually just because or if they are having a bad day/week. It makes my heart smile knowing that I could make their day just a little brighter.

7. Stubborn. Ah, I am definitely my father's daughter. I can be very stubborn as my mom can attest to. As a 3-year-old, I sat on my swing for hours just so I wouldn't have to come inside and put in my hearing aide. The stubbornness didn't change as I got older. Luckily, Mr Jones is easy going. Haha!

And now it's time for me to pass on the award...

Summer @ B is for Brown
Jules @ Chic & Pink
Heather @ Live.Love.Laugh
Jess @ Living on Sweet Tea
Erin @ Queen of Clearance
Chanda @ Other Everyday Stuff
And my favorite newlywed, Erica @ 7.25.09 WED