Jen Russum

29 things about me

29 things about me

Excited to be linking up with The 2012 Ultimate Blog Party hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom! I've been meaning to do an updated "about me" post for a while now {and by "a while" I mean for at least six months}, but besides feeling like it's slightly narcissistic, it also takes a long time to compile such a list and extra time is not something I often have. However, I love reading other bloggers' "about me" posts, so I decided that since I've now turned 29 {have you entered the birthday giveaway yet?!}, I could at least offer you 29 tidbits about me. I figure 29 is much easier than 50 or 100. Maybe I'll add one to the list each year. 3-0 here I come! 1 :: I hate the feeling of polyester. You know that wispy yet rough material that never fully goes out of style. Makes me cringe.  2 :: I eat cereal almost every morning, but I don't put milk on it. I hate the idea of pouring liquid all over a dry food staple. Gag. However, I do usually slice a banana on the top and eat it with my fingers like a baby. I also often read my blogs while I eat my cereal, which means I get my keyboard sticky. I realize this is disgusting. 3 :: I also go through random food stages where I eat the same thing every day for weeks. In the past, there's been the Luna Bar for lunch stage, the Fresca stage, the cantaloupe and honey roasted peanuts stage, the strawberry shortcake for breakfast and dinner stage, and last year I went through a major Smashburger stage. Oops... 4 :: My husband and I have a very LENGTHY love story. It started back in 11th grade. And although we've had our ups and downs, our story is a good one because God is good. Then & Now :) 5 :: I love my alma mater Texas Christian University with all my heart, especially that TCU Horned Frog football team. And, yes, I will dress my daughter in one of those baby cheerleader uniforms someday. 6 :: I hated vegetables for most of my life, but then Micah coached me to like them while we were dating so that I would make them after we got married. 7 :: I am currently working on a big research project about MOMMY BLOGGERS for grad school. 8 :: I have always wanted to be a professor - AKA a doctor of books! 9 :: I love Gwen Stefani's legs and I like that she admits how hard she works for them. As much as it would be nice to be a naturally thin person, I always admire people more who work hard to keep their bod in shape. 10 :: Math makes me cry. I'm not joking. I cried my way through almost every high school math class and my one required college course as well. 11 :: I have my real estate license. If you want to buy or sell a house around Phoenix, let me know. 12 :: I have one sister and one brother. We love each other dearly, and we pretty much never fight. Except for that one time Katie kicked me in the shin with her big black boots while walking home from the bus stop in 5th grade... 13 :: I used to hate to cook because I always shared a kitchen with lots of roommates and it always seemed too crowded and disorganized. But now that I am married and have my own kitchen, I love cooking! 14 :: I strongly believe in reading the Bible EVERY SINGLE DAY. I don't understand how people get through the day without starting off by reading God's word. 15 :: I have best friends from college who are like sisters to me. In fact, we call ourselves the seven sisters of soul. I love them with all my heart. 16 :: I've had the same best friend since 4th grade and we've accomplished every childhood goal we made together. Traveling Europe with backpacks. Being roommates after college. We were even engaged at the same time and got married three months apart. Next up...babies! {But give us a few years...} L :: College besties   C :: Best friends since 4th grade   R :: Sister best friend 17 :: I clean my bathroom EVERY Thursday no matter what. Even if I get home at 10pm and have a free day on Friday, I will stay up to clean my bathroom. I love schedules and if you clean on Thursdays, your house will be at its prime for any weekend visitors. 18 :: I call my personal fashion style "granny chic." It involves lots of cardigans, lace, gold buttons, pointy-toe shoes and the occasional animal print. 19 :: I want four children. I think. Unless I get intimidated by the first two. But I think God likes big, godly families... maybe I'll want five kids. Who knows... 20 :: I want some of my children to be adopted. I love adoption. 21 :: I am mildly obsessed with Mariah Carey, Lauren Graham (Lorelai...sometimes I forget her real name because her character is so real to me), and Candace Cameron Bure. I hope I can meet all of them someday, but I'll settle for meeting one of them, because I'm sure my odds of meeting all three are incredibly low. L :: Lauren/Lorelai   C :: Candace   R :: Mariah 22 :: Speaking of Lorelai and DJ, I have only consistently watched two TV shows in my entire life for the duration of the series: Full House and Gilmore Girls. Except my bridesmaids and I discovered last summer that I have never seen the final episode of Full House for some reason... that must go on the goals list ASAP! 23 :: I really want to move to Nashville after I am done with grad school and live in a big house by the river, but Micah wants to move to San Diego and live on the beach. Maybe we'll compromise and stay in Scottsdale, because we both LOVE it here! 24 :: I kind of consider myself a runner. I am not naturally very good at it, but I've been making myself do it for about eight years now. I've run two half marathons, a 10K and a bunch of 5Ks. I even placed 2nd once in a small, local run. 25 :: I love dressing like twins, especially with my sister. I like it when other people dress like twins. I like it when people dress their kids like twins. I don't care if you buy an item that I already own...let's dress like twins! 26 :: I hate yoga. I respect people who are good at yoga and I know it has great health benefits, but I despise it. It makes my wrists hurt and my back ache and I always want to glare at the people next to me who are standing on their head so easily. 27 :: During my first year of marriage, I held to this strange belief that if I used my crock pot more than once a week, I wasn't being a good wife. For some reason I equated the crock pot to laziness and mediocre food. But we all know that's not true. Some of Micah's favorite meals are slow cooker recipes and anything that makes dinner FOR you while you are not home is pretty much awesome! This year my new rule is to use the crock pot no LESS than one day a week. Bring it! {And any recipes you have would be appreciated...} 28 :: I have worn my retainer almost every night since I got it in 8th grade. It is in disgusting condition, and I hope you never have to see it. I truly believe if I don't wear it, my teeth will go BUCK once again and I will have to get braces as an adult. Clearly, I will do anything to avoid this, including wearing my rotting, blue with silver sparkles retainer that was inspired by my love for Juliet's bedroom décor in the Leonardo DiCaprio version of Romeo and Juliet when it first came out in 1996. 29 :: Although this was really fun to write, I want you to know that ultimately it's not really about me... it's ALL about Jesus. My sincere hope is that my blog is a reflection of that truth. ... Read more

Flowers Fade Friday: A Trip to Target

Flowers Fade Friday: A Trip to Target

I used to occasionally read a funny blog called What White Chicks Cherish. The blogger, Mark, makes fun of what "white chicks" do - which is basically just a way to make fun of America's self-indulgent middle class culture. One time Mark wrote a post called "Spending, Like, Over $100 at Target on their lunch hour." Check it out if you want, but I can re-cap it quickly. Imagine this... White Chick (as he calls her) dashes into Target to pick up something on her lunch break. After throwing a few toiletries in her cart, she makes her way to the clothing, because you can't skip the clothes section! There is a super-cute top on sale that she simply can't pass up. She then realizes she might be low on laundry detergent so she heads to the household section as well and decides to restock most of her cleaning products. When she passes the food section, she can't help but grab a new pack of Diet Coke and some Kashi cereal. Somewhere in the midst of this she has to switch from a basket to a cart. She almost makes it to the register, where she is planning to grab some gum and a magazine during checkout, but she realizes her girlfriend's birthday is coming up! After browsing cards and gift wrap for ten minutes, she is now late getting back to work. But you know she stops to grab a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte on her way out the door, because who can resist a festive fall beverage? (Plus she never did get around to eating on her lunch break...) This post is funny, because it's so true. But it's also a little bit sad... because it's so true. I've been that girl. Zigzagging my way around Target, filling my cart with every deal in the world that I don't really need. Home decorations, clearance clothes, socks and underwear, water bottles, gum and candy, nail polish, discounted DVDs... You name it. I've probably bought it. But I don't need most of it. I can't even say I've wanted most of it. There are things I want - a DSLR camera, new white flats, a strapless bikini - little things that are not at all necessary, but that I would probably enjoy and use quite a bit. But when I go to Target {and other "affordable" stores}, "need" and "want" get pushed aside and I find myself buying simply because the product is there. In front of me. And I can. Now I'm not bashing Target. I love that place. It has great prices on toilet paper and cereal and other things that help me manage my household well for a reasonable cost. I'm bashing ME in Target. A few weeks ago I went into Target during my "no shopping" August. I only needed one thing. I can't remember what it was, but something like Q-Tips or shampoo. I told myself I would go in quickly and head directly for that one item. I would not wander. I would not look around. I would get in and out in under five minutes for less than five dollars. And you know what? I succeeded. I got my product and I got the heck out of there. But God taught me a lesson in those five minutes. He showed me the true state of my heart. Because as I walked directly to the bath and beauty section of the store, I felt myself pulled in so many directions. But you always stop in the clothing section... What if there are cute purses on sale?... I wonder if they have a new toothbrush holder for the bathroom... Are you sure we don't need any groceries?... Did you get enough new pens for school? Excuse me while I throw up... because I make myself sick. I am no different than every other American who is drowning in consumer debt or losing a house he or she could never really afford in the first place. No different than every teenager in America who loves to spend ALL their discretionary money on games or candy or going to the movies. I am lost in my own "buy mentality." Now, of course, I don't think it's wrong to buy things. Even fun things that aren't necessities. I mean I REALLY want a DSLR camera even though I don't need one. And I also don't think that every person struggling with debt or a foreclosure is a greedy consumer who brought it upon themselves. But there is definitely something concerning about America's buying habits in general. And the Bible is pretty clear that we need to be careful with what we buy, and how much, and how often. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.I John 2:16-17 Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear--but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.I Peter 3:3-4 And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."Luke 12:18-21 God warns us in these verses {and in many others!} that the "buy mentality" is a dangerous one. It leads us to love the world instead of God. It leads us to love things more than people. It leads us away from our loving Savior and could ultimately lead to our destruction. We are called to be set apart from the world. Now I don't mean set apart as in run and hide from every non-Christian. That's possibly more disgusting than the "buy mentality." What I mean is that we are supposed to be  holy. We are supposed to engage in our culture, but look completely different from everything and everyone around us. As Christians, we should be a contrast culture. A culture that embraces generosity, simplicity and truth. We should be battling consumerism with contentment. Because we have EVERYTHING we need and MORE than we could ever desire in Jesus. So ask God to rescue you from the "buy mentality" that permeates our culture and to show you all that He has given you in Jesus - forgiveness, redemption, hope, freedom and the promise of a perfect future spent with Him. {So when you go to Target, just say "no" to most things. Most of the time. But that TP really is a good price...} ... Read more

A Good Steward: Clothes {Part 3}

A Good Steward: Clothes {Part 3}

This week I've been talking about how I have being challenged lately to be a better steward of the things I own. Yesterday, I offered my first four tips on how to best manage one's wardrobe. Here are my final pieces of advice regarding all things closet... 5 :: Lay out clothes the night before. Another reason I think we tend to wear the same thing over and over again is because we don't plan ahead. I am the biggest fan of choosing outfits for the next day at bedtime. I don't know about you, but I have noticed it takes me about three times longer to coordinate an outfit in the AM, and I end up wearing something boring or going for the clothes I already wear all the time... For some reason, at night, I just scan my closet and decide, "I will pair this with this, and wear these shoes." Bam. Done. Here's my outfit for tomorrow.Writing this blog post has inspired me to try wearing a short dress as a tunic with my cigarette pants. 6 :: Keep a running "needs" list somewhere in or near your closet. This is something I am going to try to get better at. From time to time I will jot down an item I need in my planner or in a journal somewhere, but I have never kept a running list in or near my closet. ***I must note here that I use the term "need" loosely. All we really need is some kind of fabric over our bodies to protect us from wind, rain, snow and sun and to allow us to enter into public places. For many people in many cultures, this is ALL they have. I don't really NEED anything.*** However, when I come across an item that would be an incredibly efficient addition to the clothes I already own and would help me dress appropriately for my current roles in life {teaching, etc.), I put it on the "needs" list. For me, this list is VERY short right now. For about five years now, I have NEEDED new white flats. I wear mine consistently from Easter to Labor Day {yes, I follow those silly rules} and I have had the same pair since 2004! That was a very long time ago and mine are in bad shape! I have been searching for a replacement pair every year and have yet to find one! The only other needs I have right now are for a black camisole {$3 at Forever 21 should take care of that} and a new strapless bikini. I wore mine to death. The back clip literally broke in half last month, and I don't like the new tan lines I am quickly acquiring!!! Now, if and when I shop, I can take this list with me to buy things that actually have a purpose in my wardrobe instead of buying a cute shirt that I absolutely do NOT need. 7 :: Don't be a sucker for sales. This leads me to the topic of sales. Sales are awesome. I love them. I love all things clearance rack, additional 20% off, rack out on the sidewalk, and discount store {Nordstrom Rack, TJ Maxx, etc}. But sales can be overwhelming and result in poor spending. How many times in my life have I gone crazy at a sale and come home with $300 worth of clothes that only cost me $80 only to realize that I didn't need ANY of the clothes, even if they only cost me $80 total?  I have tried to lay off the sales in recent months. Now there are times when I just can't pass up a $5 cardigan, but for the most part, I am trying to change my ways. If the things I need are on sale, then I am in heaven. But ultimately, I would rather spend a little more for higher quality on something I will wear all the time than buy ten things on clearance that will only get worn a few times or get destroyed quickly due to their poor quality. 8 :: CHALLENGE YOURSELF. Make fashion interesting by challenging yourself. I strongly recommend the 30 for 30 challenge, because it's short and sweet but very convicting. Other women have committed to stop shopping for clothes altogether for various amounts of time - a month, six months, a year. Some women have made a commitment to buy all secondhand clothing for a year, instead of new products. You can always recreate the ol' college roommate days and trade clothes and accessories with a girlfriend. Next time you need a dress for an event, I dare you to BORROW one instead of buying a new one! And when you see an outfit you like on someone else, make note of it or try to figure out what about their outfit caught your eye and see if you can make a similar look with things you already have in your own closet. Also, don't be afraid to play with your clothes like you did when you were little. If you have the time, experiment a little bit. You might attempt to wear your shirt backward or perhaps tie it up for a fresh look. If you are really daring perhaps you can turn a belt into a headband. The point is - have fun! Sometimes the result might be hideous, but you also might surprise yourself by discovering the next new trend! I took a few minutes to play around with my clothes at the end of the challenge, and this was the result! The first attempt at the skirt/loose top look was pretty ugly, but after tying up the shirt and adding some boots, I loved the result. Micah told me I looked like June Carter! Best compliment ever! Linking up with Gussy! ... Read more