Summer 2014

This summer flew past, literally...I have no idea where it went!

It seems like just last week I was taking finals & celebrating the end of my third year of school & here it is, the day that I begin my senior year of college & my first day of the Education program at Jacksonville State. 

This summer I learned more than I ever thought I would have. 

I spent mornings with Chris learning how to work calves...and learning how to wake up before sunrise. 

I learned how to put up vegetables and can pickles for the winter, I even learned how to make tomato juice so that we'll be able to have fresh tomato soup in the chilly winter months. 

But I have to say, my biggest accomplishment was learning how to use all the beef we have in the freezer...it's harder than you would think!

One of the best things I received this summer was...

my sweet new gelding, Wrangler. He's been such a good teacher for me this summer and I couldn't be the equestrian that I am today without his attitude, because I've had to overcome a lot with him. But I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Since I got Wrangler this summer, I did a lot of trail-riding with my friend Tess. 

It was so nice to have someone to ride with this summer & I see so much of myself in her, so it's just fun!

I also turned twenty-one this summer & I was so lucky to be able to celebrate with my family & my best friends. I don't know about y'all, but I'm content with my birthday situation now & I don't have to have anymore ;)

I guess my favorite thing that I did this summer would be my trip to the beach with Christopher. We went to Panama City Beach, Florida and had a complete blast. It was so nice to get away & just be able to spend some time with each other & not have to worry about anyone else but us. 

Also, my sweet Daddy turned sixty this summer & we had a really fun surprise party for him & invited a lot of his old friends & current friends. 

My sweet friend Courtney & her boyfriend Kaleb came to visit and Christopher & I took them up to Cheaha to Bald Rock. It's always fun to show people that aren't from around here the beautiful views that Clay County has to offer. 

And to close our summer out, Christopher & I went to see Whitney & Brian Anderson get married. 

Casey & Brett went with us and we had such a great time. The wedding was beautiful, the reception was so much fun, and we had an awesome time getting to see old friends that we hadn't seen in a while. 

Overall, the memories were amazing & I'm so thankful for this summer. It was a great opportunity to recharge & relax a little bit. Plus, I had a wonderful time making wonderful memories. 

Thanks for reading, y'all & I can't wait to share with y'all what the Fall semester has in store for me!

-Jordyn

Beachin'

Christopher and I have been back from the beach a little over a week now and I have to say that I think it's about time that we go back again! This was our first official beach vacation for just the two of us & it was perfect in every single way. Our trip was the 24-28th of May. 

We stayed at the Origin at Seahaven, which is actually across the road from the beach...which is somewhere I said I would NEVER stay. But it was so nice & so much cheaper! It was right across the street from Sharky's & we had private beach access. 

Although Chris wasn't smiling in this picture...we actually had a great time hanging out on the beach for the three days we spent on the coast. We rented a set of chairs and an umbrella which is my advice to anyone that is going. It's so much easier than carrying all your junk down to the beach! All we had to carry was my beach bag and Chris' Yeti. 

It was a little sea-weedy, but still beautiful!

The best part of this trip was the fact that my Rep koozie came in right before we had to leave! I'm obsessed with how cute they are & I'm so proud to show it off because it's true...only the best get the bow! 

The second best thing about this trip is that at the beach, Chris dresses up! Who wouldn't love a guy dressed in white shorts, a seersucker shirt, and camel leather slip-ons. =)

We ate at a ton of really good places, even venturing out of our comfort zone into St. Andrew's Bay. The two best places we found there were The Captain's Table and Uncle Ernie's. Not to mention that there was the cutest little antique store that I had to go into and pick a few things out. We also walked around the docks, it was so fun to see a new side of the beach that I had never experienced before. 

After dinner on our last night we went out to the pier for sunset and it was incredibly beautiful. 

We actually ended up seeing some locals that had been fishing off the pier, fish a terrapin all the way up to the shore. Apparently you aren't allowed to pull them out of the water, so you have to beach it. 

Chris and I ended up getting to know the group of people fishing the terrapin and we learned a lot about it, including the fact that apparently they aren't good to eat, so they are only a trophy fish (hence why you aren't allowed to pull them out of the water). 

It was huge! It took two grown men to pick it up for pictures!

Chris got to hold the rod while they ran down to the beach to take pictures, he was pretty proud of himself! 

It was an amazing trip and I'm so thankful to all of the people that made it possible for us to get away for just a few days! 

Until next time...

xoxo, jordyn 

Happy Birthday To Me!

My twenty-first birthday took place on June the 13th. 

I had to start off my day by waking up early and driving Chris' truck to Woodland to get tires put on. What a great way to start off my birthday, right? Oh, and I had to get several things for Chris at the Co-Op in Wedowee too before I could come back home. 

When I did eventually come back home, I headed to my Mama and Daddy's house to meet them, my sister, and Chris for lunch, cake, and presents. 

My Mama got me the most perfect cake...

I also thought Chris had forgotten to send me flowers...but when I walked through the door at my parents house the most beautiful ones were at the table. =)

I swear, Christopher is always full of such surprises!

Instead of going out for my birthday, Chris and I threw a shrimp boil and invited all of my friends. It was so good to see everyone, especially people that I hadn't seen in some time!

I had such a blast and I cannot wait to see what the next twenty-one years will hold. 

A huge thank you to everyone who helped me celebrate, I love you all! 

xoxo, Jordyn 

I'll Always Have You to Hold, and that's All I Need to Know

Happy First Anniversary to my favorite guy!

Okay, okay...maybe I'm a little late actually blogging about our first anniversary, which took place on May 13th 2014, but I promise I did celebrate it right on time. Chris even remembered too. ;)

As I sit back and take the time to reflect on the past year of my life, I'm so thankful for the person that I have become. If I hadn't met Chris and fallen in love with him, I wouldn't have had someone to constantly help refine me into the lady I am today. 

How lucky and blessed am I to have someone in my life who is so driven and willing to work so hard to provide for our future? Christopher is one of the greatest men I have ever met, and I'm not just saying that because he's mine. 

He'll probably be embarrassed when he reads this post, but I have to brag on him. 

He's so smart and funny, kind and thoughtful, tough and gentle and the same time. 

For our anniversary we just took a little trip to Anniston and had an early dinner at Cheaha Brewing Company after doing a little exploring on Noble Street. It was such a perfect afternoon. 

When we got home that evening, we took a ton of candles down to my parent's pond at Lazy B Farm and sat under the stars and listened to the frogs. It was a memorable first anniversary for sure.

And as far as presents go...which I know everybody wants to know about....

Chris got me some really cute Lilly Pulitzer tervis-style tumblers and an adorable travel coffee mug which can both be purchased at Dillard's or online at this link and this link.  

A few days later he purchased me these gorgeous boots that I've been lusting over forever from Country Outfitter. I'll be posting a review of them later, but for now if you're interested in purchasing them, you can snag them for less than $300 right here! 

And I had to save the best for last, just because I'm obsessed with the gift I gave Christopher. 

He works so hard and I know Alabama summers are killer, so I thought-what could be better than a cooler for our anniversary?

I got him the Yeti 35 cooler that can be purchased here!

Once again, I'll be doing a separate post on this, reviewing the cooler as well as giving you ladies an idea of how I put together the cooler as a gift basket for my guy! 

In all honesty, we all know it's not about the gifts. It's about celebrating how much we love each other and how blessed we are to have each other. I can't wait to see what happens in the next year and I cannot wait to celebrate each anniversary with him for the rest of our lives. 

Love you so much, sweetheart!

xoxo, jordyn

Kiss My Southern Sass Giveaway

As most of you know, I started working as a college campus rep for an amazing company earlier this year, Kiss My Southern Sass. 

I'm so blessed to have become a part of a group of young, independent, strong, smart, and sassy women. They have inspired me to really own who I am and to be able to laugh at myself too. 

Kiss My Southern Sass is a business that was started in a college apartment and now it has reached all over the country and world, my boss, the beautiful Anna Kate, was even featured on the Bethenny Show because of her entrepreneurial talents! 

Kiss My Southern Sass is working towards increasing the product line that we offer currently & right now they have some amazing deals going on, in fact Kiss My Southern Sass has a little something for everyone-in every price range! 

{When you use the coupon code JordynBrown or KMSSJSU you can take an extra dollar off of your order as well!}

The main point of this blog post today isn't to advertise Kiss My Southern Sass to you though, it's to tell you how you can win some freebies!

I know that some of you are thinking, "I can stop reading now, I don't need some college-girl tank top" but honestly, I'm giving away a really cute koozie and decal set. They may not be your style, but you could always give them as a gift to the young girl in your life-and who doesn't need a koozie for a day on the lake, beach, or by the pool?

Aren't they so perfectly patriotic? And what do you have to lose anyway, it will take just a few seconds of your time to enter! 

Here is the link to use to enter the contest:  http://tinyurl.com/pcax4cj

I can't wait to announce who the winner is, I hope it's someone who reads my blog!

P.S. The contest is taking place on my Kiss My Southern Sass-Jacksonville State University Facebook page! 

Thanks again y'all & I promise I'll be updating y'all on how my summer is going-it's been busy for sure!

XOXO, Jordyn 

Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead?

He is not here, He has risen!

Easter is one of my favorite times of the year, it signifies so many things to me. I love celebrating the resurrection of our precious Saviour and spending time with my family. It's such a sweet time, new beginnings of Spring and everything is fresh and new. It also gives me a chance to reflect on all of my many blessings, especially since Christ's sacrifice is so evident. He gave it all so that I may live life more abundantly and so that I may enjoy all of the things that he has provided me with-I'm a blessed girl.

It's so funny to me now, where I was one year ago.

Christopher and I had really just started seeing each other, but now I am so happy to say that I'm happier than ever. 

And we've changed just a little. 

It was wonderful to go to Easter church services with my boyfriend, parents, sister, and sweet niece and nephew.

Plus, how often do we get together in nice clothes and take real pictures-hardly ever. 

By the way, check out my parents-they've been together forever and they're still so in love. That's what I want for my future. 

I had missed my little munchkins too-I think Lola missed her uncle Chris more than me though!

  

Just look at that face!

And I always have to grab a quick picture with my Daddy, such a Daddy's-Girl.

But then when I was going through pictures and saw the one of Daddy & Christopher I was like...wait. He's not smiling in the picture with me but look at this one. 

THEY'RE BOTH SMILING. WHAT??

Of course they are. 

Besides all of the non-smiling, it was a great Easter full of family time and just enjoying the beautiful day. 

Chris and Bullet enjoyed a little nap time on the dock at our pond...

before Chris was reeling in the big one!

Just kidding, he caught a Christmas tree. I wish y'all could see the video, but apparently you can't rotate videos on my computer-so I didn't post it because I didn't want y'all breaking your necks while you were dying laughing at him. 

It was a really great day, lots of memories were made.  

Until next Easter, 

-jordyn