Moving to Wordpress

Personal choice has led me to Wordpress to fulfill my blogging fantasies.  Haha.

No, really though.  I am setting up my blog over at http://thejakafiles.wordpress.com/

Follow with me? :)

Please re-friend me on Google Friend Connect, as I don't think that will convert.

Loves!!!

My New Banner...

I created my banner using Photoshop. 

My first ever creation. 

Like, seriously, ever.

So far, I absolutely adore Photoshop, but it is going to take some getting used to.

I like to give credit where credit is due.  Therefore, I'd like to thank Rebecca's Scrapping Silliness for her Karmatic Impact freebie that I was able to download.  Not everything in my banner came from her freebie, but a good majority of it did.  Using a couple elements that were in my misc scrap folder, and some re-coloring in Photoshop, my banner was born!

In the coming days, I am hoping to re-do my button, and my contact info.  Maybe, eventually, I'll be able to make my very own layout.  Haha, okay maybe not. :)

Business to Blogger - Gaining Exposure to Your Blog

As I am sure you are all aware, I am quite new to this whole blogging deal.  Well, maybe more so the more formal aspects of blogging as opposed to just blogging to keep track of memories I want preserved.

Wanting to make something more of my blog, I have become more technically in tune with what it takes to make a site more popular.  Traffic, right?  Being interesting and funny and leaving an impression with readers that makes them want to come back is probably most important.  But how do you get that?  Well, I have linked my website to my Facebook, Twitter, and even my YouTube accounts.  I have also made some new friends around the blogging community.

When my friend, Kristin, whose advise I trust when it comes to blogging among other things, wrote her blog post about Business2Blogger, I was curious.  Doing what any normal, curious, human being would do, I headed over to the site to investigate. 

The benefits for a small blogger, like me, is great.  They can provide you with opportunities for reviews at absolutely no cost!!! Yes, you heard me, for FREE!!!  Not to mention this website works with not only the blogging community but also businesses.  It's like a website that plays match-maker.

Sound like something you'd like to participate in? Then head on over and sign up here.  It's quick and easy and free to sign up.

And hey, did I mention that this is FREE?!

So click here for more information or to sign up.

Today Is Friday.....

Friday excites me.  Friday means two days of not having to work. 

I like my job, don't get me wrong.  It frustrates the crap out of me sometimes, but overall the place I work is not bad at all.  It pays well, that's for sure.  And while I do wish that I was a stay at home mom, or rather a work at home mom, this job isn't so bad.

This weekend shall be fun.  Cleaning, sitting at home, watching the Jets fight for a chance to play in the Super Bowl sounds like fun, right?  Okay so my weekend doesn't have huge plans, but it does beat the alternative - work. 

Konnor will not be home this weekend.  That is good and bad.  I like to be able to have some toddler-free time, since he can be so rambunctious when confined in close quarters for an extended period of time, but I do tend to miss his royal cuteness.

I plan to finish mine and Justin's taxes this weekend.  That's fun, right??  With having Ariana this year, our returns will be hefty.  Which means I can pay people back and get my new camera!  Now THAT is exciting.  I think I have finalized my camera decision, which has changed a million times, so it will probably change again. 

Oh and I think my friend is having her birthday party this weekend.  Perhaps I should verify that so I don't miss it.  Haha.

Okay okay enough rambling from me for one post.  Notice I said post, not day. :P

My Mommy....

Is following my blog now....

HIIIIII MOM!!!!!!

That is me and my momma on my 21st birthday

Holiday Traditions...

Holiday traditions are something I believe every family has. From what you eat to opening a Christmas present before you go to bed on Christmas eve, there is something that is done every year.

Growing up, I remember eating fondue and bread on Christmas eve. Ham for Christmas dinner, and being able to open our stocking before everyone else got out of bed. My mom would buy each of her children a Christmas ornament to put on the tree every year, and years later, we still put those ornaments up.

When Konnor was born, I wasn't sure what tradition I was going to start. Wanting something that could be a tradition forever, I pondered the thought of ornaments. Nah, that had been done. Specific foods? Not possible since my grandma still insisted on us being at home for dinner.

It didn't occur to me when I bought Konnor Christmas-themed pajamas in 2006 that this would be my tradition from year to year. To be honest, 2007 came and went and I didn't realize then what I was really doing. Not until I went shopping for Christmas jammies in 2008 did I realize that there was a theme. A yearly routine that I had started. A tradition.

That was it. I adopted it. My tradition was now buying Christmas jammies that Konnor could wake up wearing on Christmas morning to open his presents. Something that could go on until he was older, seeing as there are jammies for all ages.

This year, I already have Ariana's Christmas jammies, and need to get Konnor's yet. This tradition is something that is unique. And totally me. While I can't find 2007's Christmas pictures, Konnor wore Disney's Cars themed Christmas jammies. They were his fav!!

What are your holiday traditions? I would love to hear them! I find it fascinating how everyone celebrates the holiday in their own special, unique ways. :)

From my family to yours: Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and please be safe!!!

A Not So Wordless Wednesday....

So I understand this is suppose to be Wordless Wednesday, but for the love, I can't help myself.

You see, I had this amazingly adorable picture of my kiddos passed out on the couch.  It was adorable, and I knew that it was my WW picture.  No doubt in my mind.

Until I was uploading pictures onto Shutterfly and Ariana was getting really pissed on the floor.  Picking her up, she sat contently on my lap at the computer.  For a moment.  Then, she decided she wanted to Tweet too.  And Tweet she did, that little bugger. :)

After her keyboard bashing, we may or may not have had to restart the computer to get the monitor to work correctly.  And I may or may not have to figure out how to fix the internet screen size.  Still wondering why I don't get a taskbar for my different windows at the bottom of the screen.

Whoops!  Bright side?  Daddy can't get mad at his little angel!!

Want more Wordless Wednesday?  Check out 5 Minutes for Mom, Extraordinary Mothers, MomSpective, & J. Leigh Designs.

I Came Back!!

After a little over a week since having the teeth yanked (and I took a few days before hand to prep for it), I am back!!  Yay, right?  Lol.  Almost fully off the drugs (pain pills, people!), my head is finally in a clear enough state for me to write again.  That last post......... Totally don't remember actually writing it, much less posting.  Yikes!

So having wisdom teeth pulled sure does make you feel stupid for a while.  Thanks Mr. Oral Surgeon for contributing to that.  Honestly though, I was out of it for at least a week.  Trying to remember what events occurred is next to impossible.  Including my going to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Did everyone have a wonderful Thanksgiving?  Lots of turkey, mashed potatoes, and PIE??? Mmmm, pie!  My favorite dish of Thanksgiving is the cranberry sauce.  Yummmmmmy!

Whelp, I have a couple things coming up here.  Couple videos of the monster children, and I *need* to get my Monday Mingle done.  With that said, I'm off!

~Alex

Konnor Says Welcome!!!

Tuesday Woes.... Monday Mingle Dilema! HELP!!

I am overly sleepy today.  The dizziness that I have been experiencing the last few days (almost a week now) has me so exhausted I can't explain it.  So here I am, home sick, with absolutely NO creative juices flowing.  There are plently of things I could be working on, and SHOULD be, but sheesh!  Too tired.

Poor little Ariana has a cold, too.  So I kept her from daycare today.  Her little nose is all stuffed up and runny (yes, both at the same time. lol).  Not to mention you can hear the congestion in her poor breathing and when she coughs, it breaks my heart!  Cranky baby is her nickname today.

So I just remembered something.... Next Wednesday I am having 3 of my wisdom teeth removed.  Two of the three are beneath the gum line, while the third is barely sticking out.  So, yes, I will do next week's Monday Mingle, but there is no guarantee on the following.  Maybe i can mime that mingle. Haha!

Anyone have any other ideas for November 23rd's Monday Mingle?  Justin won't do it, i don't think.  Let me know!! I'm down for suggestions!!

I Managed...

Somehow, I managed to follow my own blog.

I guess this goes to show that I should NOT be doing blog stuff at 4:30 in the morning while sick. HAHA!

On another note, my email button is in fine working order! Woot!  The Twitter button?  Not so much.  Grrr!! While figuring out all this blog stuff isn't THAT difficult, that darn Twitter button is driving me INSANE!  And, yes, I did just shamelessly link my Twitter to this post. Lol!

Perhaps I should go back to bed now? Ugh!

By the way, is it just me or is there no way to spell check on blogger?

Okay, good-night!

This Blog...

I'm not too happy with the layout. So it may change multiple times throughout the day.

Lol.

You have been warned.....