jamie ann

Well, winter is over here in Chicago, so I think it’s about time I come out of hibernation. That goes for blog hibernation and life hibernation, by the way.

I’m trying to get back in the swing of blogging and I have a lot to talk about. Well, maybe just one big thing to talk about and I’ll do that soon.

Anyway, so I moved into my current place in October and I love it. All winter I kept saying how great this place is going to be come summer. There’s a park down the street, our neighborhood is filled with puppies and the people are just great.

We have a really nice sized back porch that we share with our neighbors and there are some fairy lights strung up for when it gets dark. And every single nice day, you can bet on me saying how much I wish I had a grill to cook out.

One of the things I started while on this paleo journey of mine was participating in a meat CSA. It’s probably one of the best decisions that I ever made. I mean, going to pick up two giant bags of chicken, pork and beef each month that know is grassfed, organic and you bought it straight from the farm?

It really doesn’t get any better than that.

When you have that much meat on hand and Chicago weather is finally starting to not be a big jerk, it’s only natural to want to fire up the grill, make some lemonade (and an adult beverage mixer, of course) and go to town. So next on my shopping list is a grill and some comfy seating because I plan to spend most of my time out on the porch and enjoying every second of it.

And in the spirit of grilling all the things, I’ve been looking up some recipes on my go-to paleo blogs to get some inspiration. I thought I’d share some of the deliciousness!

Spanish Chicken and “Rice”

Pork Chops with Tomato Peach Relish

Lemon Chicken

Pineapple Burgers with Spicy Avocado Cream

 

Green Chicken

So that’s a quick taste of what I’ll be cooking up for dinner in the next couple of months.  I’m thinking of starting a paleo blog for both delicious reasons and accountability reasons, so maybe I’ll write more on this over there. We’ll see where this new blogging momentum takes me!

If you’re looking for me this summer, you can be sure to find me out on my back porch working, hanging out with the pup and cooking. I swear, the only way this place is going to get me to leave is if they say, “Okay, Jamie, you move for free this time!”. Then I might possibly consider it

 

This post was sponsored by UMoveFree, but all views are my own.

Oh, hey. So I guess it’s like 2013 now. How crazy is that?

The new year has brought an end to a lot of things and new beginnings to a lot of others. I’m pretty excited about what this year has in store and I can’t wait to share more about it all.

But for the moment, I want to introduce a really rad client I’m working with called CrushHub. Plus, there’s a nice big $300 Visa Gift Card Prize and you totally want a chance at scoring that!

What is CrushHub?

CrushHub is a social matchmaking game on Facebook where you and your friends work together to find the best matches among your single friends.

It’s simple. You pick a friend, tell us what makes them such a great catch (he’s the funniest person you know, she loves adventure), and then invite your friends in to see who can come up with the best match.

CrushHub will help with the suggestions, but ultimately it’s all up to you, the matchmakers.  Oh, and if you’re single, it works the exact same way. Start a game for yourself, invite your friends to play matchmaker, and check out all the awesome matches they suggest for you!

What makes CrushHub unique?

The difference here is that it’s the matchmakers who are in control. From helping create profiles for their single friends, to suggesting matches, to making introductions…everything runs through the matchmakers.

It’s that easy.

Concerned about privacy?

So is CrushHub. We will never post anything to your Facebook timeline, and matches you suggest to friends are never notified. When the person being set up selects their match, it’s up to YOU to make the introduction. CrushHub will never send anything to any of your friends unless YOU specifically give the OK first.

Contest Details + $300 Visa Gift Card Prize

CrushHub is still in private beta, and right now it’s only open to users with a super special access code. Just your luck, we have one for you! And to sweeten the deal, when you sign up for CrushHub using the beta invite code DONIREE between now and January 13, you’ll be automatically entered to win a $300 Visa gift card. I’m pretty sure you could put together a pretty impressive first date with that in your pocket.

Got single friends you’d love to set up? Sign up. Are you single and want to enlist your friends to help you find your perfect match? Sign up. Sign up because CrushHub wants to cover the cost of a kick-ass first date by awarding the winner — you? — a $300 Visa gift card.

Important Note! If you have already been invited to CrushHub, whether as a matchmaker or a suggested match, you will not be asked for an invitation code when you sign up. That’s ok! You can totally still enter the contest. If you are not asked for an invitation code when you sign up (because you’ve already received an invitation), simply reply “doniree” to the welcome email you get from CrushHub when you register, and you will be entered in the contest.

Contest closes at 11:59pm PT on Sunday night, January 13. One (1) winner will be selected at random and will be announced on Monday, January 14 on @CrushHub‘s Twitter account, and on CrushHub’s Facebook page (so be sure to follow along!).

Disclaimers and details: One entry per person, please. Prize is provided by CrushHub.

A couple weeks ago, I decided I was going to be a crafty kind of broad and went a little wreath making crazy. This is the yarn one that now lives on my front door. I’m very pleased with myself. Yay me!

• my fire shoes. These Saucony Guide 6‘s are amazing, comfortable and look like fire. Full review to come soon.
• being able to work with some amazing, kick ass women on an upcoming project. Seriously, it’s inspiring.
• Fall. Boots. Scarves.
• my veggie CSA from Tomato Mountain Organic. I love getting a box full of farm fresh veggies delivered to my door every week.
• my slow cooker. I don’t know where I’d be without it.
• the new Instagram web profiles! Find me here: instagram.com/jamieann
• Breaking out the yarn and knitting needles. I just feels like the time to knit. I just finished I giant scarf for myself.
• Organization. I’m feeling the need to get all of the things in order. We’ll see how this turns out.
• Having my Twitter handle changed to @JamieAnn. Bye bye, @jamielovely. It’s been real!

Yesterday was probably one of the last nice days we’ll have here in Chicago. I took this picture of Edie sitting on the window sill behind the couch – her favorite spot ever. Not too long after this photo was taken a storm rolled in and the temp dropped about 3o degrees. Gotta love Chicago weather!

A lot has happened this year and I think a lot more will happen before the year is over. There’s been some bad, some good, some great, but all of it has been a reminder to soak it up and really live in the moment.

To enjoy the afternoon sitting by the window with the puppy.

This year I finally have a nice big apartment. I mean, it’s not huge, but it’s a decent size space with room to move and even decorate! And I know if you’ve been reading this blog for any period of time, you know how much I love design and decorating.

While my apartment is slowly coming together, we’re buying new furniture and prints for the walls. I obsess over throw pillows and my boyfriend is like um, whatever. There’s new curtains to be purchased and an office space waiting to be put together. Finding vintage pieces and new pieces and drooling over way too expensive pieces that I’ll never have are part of my daily routine. Please feel free to send gift cards, so I can buy ALL THE THINGS.

One of the things I’m most excited about is decorating for the holidays. I’m getting in the spirit already and getting ready to make some fab looking wreaths a la Wishy and Morgan. I’ve also busted out the knitting needles, pinned everything ever and have some plans for the box full of yarn in my closet.

The past couple of years, with my limited space, I’ve only had my tiny sparkly tabletop tree. This year, we actually have space for something bigger and I’m very excited to shop for Christmas trees this year.

Growing up, we would sometimes theme our decorations for the year by color. There is a box somewhere of beautiful crystal like and champagne colored ornaments that I can’t wait to steal and put up in my own little home. It’ll truly make everything feel Christmas-y and I can’t wait.

I know it’s only just fall and we have a few months to Christmas, but I seriously cannot wait to decorate. This might be the first year I bust out the decorations in November!

… you walk in the door after a long day of work and frustrating commute home and these are on the table to greet you.

Your original copies might be beat to hell because they’ve been read dozens of times, so a brand new set of hardcover Harry Potter books is love.

Best gift I’ve ever received.

He’s a keeper.

Lately, I’ve been talking about this blog a lot. Can you believe it’s been over 5 years since I started it?

This blog holds 774 posts about my life from the good to the bad.

This blog helped me meet some amazing people that I probably wouldn’t have known otherwise.

This blog helped me find out what I’m good at and led me to a career doing things I love.

This blog blessed me with amazing opportunities.

This blog lead me to the absolute greatest support system ever when I needed it most earlier this year.

This blog chronicles the life of the cutest dog in the world ever since the day she came home.

This blog allowed me to be a snarky bitch with my Project Runway and ANTM recaps. (Remember those?)

This blog allowed me to obsess over things.

This blog holds me accountable.

This blog helped me find some of my best friends.

Without a doubt, I can truly say this blog helped me become who I am today. It seems kind of silly to say something like that, doesn’t it?

But it’s true.

I’m so grateful for this little piece of the internet I call my own.

 

 

I have google calendars, shared google calendars, my iPhone, iCal, teudeux and more, but sometimes I just need pen and paper. Having to many places to keep track of things often defeats the purpose.

So, Renee recently posted about a cute planner she just got and I decided I needed to find a new one myself. Obviously, I hop on Etsy because I am the self proclaimed queen of Etsy shopping, duh. Anyway, I found this little gem by REDSTARink.

I can fill in my own dates, make my lists, add my plans and it’s well designed. You guys know I’m a sucker for good design. AND the packaging was adorable – right down to the receipt.

I see many more purchases from REDSTARink in my future.