Jenna Black is back.....

Hellooooooo everyone!

How are you doing on this fine day??

I hope you're having a wonderful day so far!

Me? Well I'm doing just magnificent thank you!

Can you take one guess who isn't sick anymore?

.....give up?

IT'S MEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!

(side note: this picture is beyond hilarious lol)

I'm not sick anymore!!! WOOT WOOT!

In case you've been unable to visit my blog this week let me fill you in: I was very sick starting Saturday night all the way up until Wednesday night. I was having the worst stomach pains (among other things) imaginable. I wouldn't wish the pain I was on upon anyone. Thank goodness I'm finally better! I was practically doing cartwheels in my bedroom yesterday....well.....I was doing cartwheels in my bedroom yesterday lol.

Seeing as I woke up at 6:30 a.m. feeling like a champion yesterday morning, and due to the fact that I hardly moved an inch all week, I decided it was best to make a very lengthy to do list for the day.

It all started with breakfast.....

It always starts with breakfast doesn't it? Lol.

I am a very visual, tidy, and organized type of person - especially when it comes to the preparation of my meals. I learned from my mother long ago that when you cook and/or bake - you must first make sure you have everything on hand. I can't even begin to count the number of times that I began to bake something only to find that I was missing at least 3 ingredients. Another basic, yet overlooked, baking/cooking technique I learned from my mother is - clean as you go.

So once I decide what I'd like to prepare for myself - I have to get every single ingredient out, and line them up in the order in which I will be using them - just so I'm certain I have every single ingredient on hand. Once I'm finished with each item I make sure to put it away before I move on to the next ingredient. This way of cooking cuts down on countertop clutter and on the post meal cleanup.

I'm sure many cooks are too impatient for this type of food preparation, but it's just the way I am.

Doing it any other way drives me absolutely nuts!

What was on the menu yesterday?

Strawberry activia yogurt topped with raisins, walnuts, and honey alongside....

Toast topped with peanut butter, honey, and fried egg whites

(I know this sounds weird - but OMG HOLY YUM!!!)

After I finished my breakfast breakfast I found a large package sitting by the front door.....

WITH MY NAME ON IT!!!

EEEK!! I love getting mail :D

Can you guess what it was???

AN EASTER BASKET FROM MY MOMMA!!!!

YAAAAAY!! :D

My mom is so freaking awesome. She hooks it up every year without fail :)

I was so happy when I opened my Easter package - it made me feel closer to my family than I really am :) You may or may not remember the swag I scored last Easter, but if not then you can click the link and check it out! This year (among many things) I received tank tops, gum, a movie, a new wallet, candy, coupons, hidden treasure puzzles and two of my absolute favorite candies.....

Dear mom: If you're trying to fatten me up. This is the perfect way to do it ;)

I'm so glad my mom sent me this bad boy as well!

For some odd reason my Food Network magazine keeps getting sent to my parents house in Ohio. Not sure why seeing as I changed my mailing address almost three weeks ago lol.

Did you notice the cover?? When I pulled the magazine out of the box I instinctively yelled "OMG PANCAKES!!!!" Lol. As you know I've been meaning to switch up my Pancake Saturday game for a while. I've definitely been stuck in a pancake rut. I need new recipes for sure! Within the next month or so you can definitely be expecting a new pancake recipe or two from me.... perhaps they will come out of this issue of the FNM!!! :)

My wardrobe is 90% dresses and 10% everything else......

With that being said - this is one of my favorite dresses from my 30+ collection

Aggghhh I love it.

Fits me like a glove I tell you!

I love dresses that make me feel like I'm from a different era.

Or like I'm out of my mind lol. Either works for me.

Ladies and gentlemen - I would like you to meet......

Oscar Oswald the Okapi!

You might recall me talking about Oscar and my love for Okapi's in this post.

He sits on the console of my car and keeps me safe when I drive.

What a trooper.

I take the long way to the grocery store (about 10 minutes out of my way) for the sole purpose of driving past my favorite house....

Yesterday I was a creeper mcgee and drove by (extremely slowly) so I could take photos of it to show you guys lol. I'm not quite sure if anyone is living in the house or not - it never appears to be so, but they could be shut ins lol.

I was half tempted to hop out of my car and take pictures, but the neighbors were out, and I didn't want to cause problems. So I snapped shots like a paparazzi from the comfort of my own vehicle.....

(This is a crappy side view)

It's yellow house with red swirly trim, blue accents, a huge wrap around porch, and a nifty circular front room with a pointed roof poking out of the from left of the house. I've never seen a house quite like this. It's so beautiful!

My paparazzi pictures don't do it justice.

After taking photos of the house - I spent a good hour at the grocery store.....

A few noteworthy things I bought:

I purchased a new brand of bread.

DELICIOUS Fat free Smart Balance Milk.

This milk isn't watery like most skim milks are. Not only does SB milk have a great deal of substance, it is a very distinctive tasting milk. I'm one of the only people that would notice qualities such as these in milk, probably because milk has always been my favorite drink. I drink 3-4 glasses every morning. I like to think of myself as a milk connoisseur of sorts lol. So once again: I can assure you that this particular fat free milk is very tasty.

I am a very big fan of the Smart Balance brand - I use SB peanut butter every single morning!

You should give one of their products a go!

It's been sooooooo long....

Since my lips have touched Toms hot sauce! Aggghhh!! I was so happy to have a coupon for this bad boy. Jennas been needing some sauciness in her life :)

I'm sure you all know that I have a love that runs ever so deep for extremely dark chocolate....

I couldn't help but buy the darkest chocolate from 3 of my favorite brands found in my local grocery store: Ghirardelli (86% cocoa) Lindt (90% cocoa) Godiva (70% cocoa).

The more cocoa the better!!!

I immediately opened each chocolate bar, broke them into pieces, put them into separate baggies, and placed them into my special hand painted chocolate box....

"Oh don't mind me - I'm just blogging whilst eating my body weight in dark chocolate" :)

Lunch looked a little like this.....

Low - fat vegetarian black bean soup and....

1/2 of a mediterranean veggie sandwich with peppadew piquant peppers, feta cheese, lettuce, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeno hummus on basil bread.

I love how I always manage to get lipstick all over my food lol.

At the end of the day.....let's face it......I'm basically eating my lipstick....ewwwwww :P

After lunch - I had a major moment of weakness at the mall.........

It turns out that not only do I have an Arts & Crafts problem.....but I have a tea problem as well........

I refuse to disclose the amount of money I spent at Teavana.

Let's just say it's a good thing I have a major obsession with tea, because no one should ever spend this kind of money on something they do not love. I like to think the money spent at Teavana today was yet another major investment towards my health. We all know how great tea is for ones health! ;)

So let's raise a glass (of tea) to oh so expensive health!

"You fancy hu?"

Why yes.....yes I am.

After I had about 6 cups of tea I dyed Easter eggs with my cousin and her children......

I know what you're thinking "Your egg is pink, purple, and blue? Daaayyyummmm giiiirrrrl."

Yes....I know - my egg is clearly the bomb diggity.

::Fast forward to today::

Breakfast this morning looked a little like this......

Whole wheat toast topped with peanut butter, honey, walnuts and raisins accompanied with....

Vanilla Activia yogurt topped with honey!

MMMMMM this was a good breakfast :)

Of course I followed breakfast with a delicious piece of very dark - dark chocolate :)

I haven't gone a day in years without having a piece of dark chocolate.

It just wouldn't be right!

This morning I decorated Easter cookies with my three year old cousin.....

The cookies not only taste amazing but they look amazing as well!

I'm really glad JD enjoys decorating cookies as much as I do. After we finished decorating he asked "can we decorate cookies again tomorrow?" Lol. His family is having an Easter party tomorrow at his Grandpas house (sadly I can't go because I have to work) and he is so excited to take the cookies with him! It's all he talked about while we were decorating the cookies. I love JD :) He is so cute.

I will make sure to set aside time this weekend to look up kid friendly recipes for JD and I to do together :)

Before I put this laptop away and get ready for work.....

(Serious blogger face lol)

I have just one more topic I'd like to discuss....

If you've been reading my blog since the beginning you might recall me frequently talking about my good friend Joe and his band Let's Get It......

What exactly does this have to do with? Well....let me refresh you on who exactly this group of guys is before I tell you the news/ go any further. Here are a few of the posts that pertain to the band and/or Joe - in case you are new to my blog, or in case you need a refresher:

- My favorite post involving Joe or the band is hands down my trip to Los Angeles last April. He was writing songs for his up and coming album, and I decided that skipping school and visiting him was a necessity...which come on....a trip to L.A. is a necessity in any young persons life lol. I had so much fun! Be sure to check out part 1 and 2 :

L.A. Part 1

L.A. Part 2

- My second favorite post that'll get you a lot more familiar with the band is the post where I gave a detailed description of the 13 hour drive my friend Kim (whom I miss oh so much) and I took to see the boys play at a popular music festival last year in New Jersey. Kim an I had an absolute BLAST! You should definitely check it out below:

Bamboozle - Part 1 of 1

Now you must be thinking "Ok Jenna. We read the posts. We are somewhat familiar with the band. What's the point??" The point is - I am supportive of each and every one of my friends. If one of them have something big coming up in their lives - I like to shout it from the roof tops! in this case - the roof top being my blog.

Let's Get It's very first full length album is coming out on May 24th and I couldn't be more excited for them!! They have been working very long and very hard on this album for the past year or so, and it's finally come into fruition! Due to the fact that I'm awesome, and because Joe is my bestie, I've heard the entire full length numerous times.....

I may or may not have a copy of my own on my computer.....but if I did - I wouldn't tell you.... because it would be a secret ;) lol

You guys know me. I like music I can dance to. Feel good music that makes me want to bust a funky groove alone in my bedroom.....or in public - depending how good the song is. So you can believe me when I say: You can find me on any given moment of the day dancing to their album in my bedroom, my car, my kitchen, my bathroom and that it's all I've listened to. This is feel good music. This is dancy music. This is awesome.

Long story short - the album is amazing. It's seriously all I've listened to for the past week. They did an awesome job putting this whole kit and caboodle together. Words can't describe how proud I am of this group of guys. They've been through so much and deserve this album to get huge. So you should do me a solid and check out/ download the first song that they've released here:

Let's Get It - We Don't Care

I'm an advocate for each and every one of my friends lives.

Whether that be my best friend Jessica whos going to school to become a Doctor, Kim who is going to school to become an interior decorator, Katie who is at tech school, or Joe's band who is preparing to release their full length album. I believe each and every one of them deserve the absolute best.

So today - I'm here to make you a fan of Let's Get It :)

Because like I said. They deserve it.

I hope I won you over ;)

Well that's all from me today!!!!

I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful Friday!

Be sure to take care of that body of yours - you only have one!

xoxoxoxoxo