When I found out I was pregnant in late-March, I remember thinking to myself, “Oh this is going to take forever.” Six months later and it’s turning out to be the exact opposite — time is FLYING by. Last weekend, I officially entered the third trimester of my pregnancy — the third trimester (!!). It’s a crazy feeling to be in the home stretch. I’m overwhelmed, but overwhelmed in the best way. We’re so close to meeting our baby girl!
Read MoreAfter a busy, fulfilling week of traveling, I’m finally back home in NC and it feels so good. While it’s sad to pack your bags and wrap up a good trip, it’s also nice to get back to normalcy and routine in the confines of your own space. My boys were excited to see me, I was able to make dinner in my kitchen, and I actually felt well-rested after a good night of sleep in my bed. And while we’re on the go already today (because of course we are! — traveling to Outer Banks, NC for our anniversary weekend), I got a day and a half of good rest and I feel like a brand new woman.
Read MoreWelcome to 2025 where the first Just Jen Things recap of the year comes… more than halfway through the year. Good job, Jen, good job. In my defense — and I’m going to defend myself here because WHEW — life’s been feeling a little (okay, A LOT) “Lights! Camera! Bitch! Smile!” in 2025. Anyone else agree? Don’t get me wrong, I have plenty of things I’m both excited and grateful to have going for me right now, but damn, so many other things have made 2025 feel like the ultimate slog-fest so far. So it seems, my anthem of the year belongs to Taylor Swift’s I Can Do It With a Broken Heart — all the days of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, and yet I’ve had to put on that front because the only way out is through.
Read MoreThose of you who know me know I love taking photos wherever I go. Be it landscapes, selfies, or dog pics, while traveling, adventuring, or standing outside in my own back yard, I’m the happiest version of myself when I’m holding my camera, snapping photos, and turning moments of time into forever capsules that are so much fun to look back on each and every year. Sitting here today, a rainy, late-December afternoon in the dwindling days of 2024, I’m really feeling that reminiscing, reflective spirit as I scroll back through a year’s worth of photos that made 2024 a year to remember. Forgoing the traditional style “here’s-what-I-did” kind of reflection post to end the year, I thought I’d share a collection of photos from my 2024 camera roll instead — 12 months of memories that illustrate life, love, and happiness in 2024. What a year!
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