Tori

Tori is the niece of my sweet friend, Jennifer. She was bad accident on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. One of her friends didn't make it. Tori is still in the ICU and making improvements. She is a fighter! Help give her strength through prayer! Stay strong, Tori!

It's Shutterfly Time!

*Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way....."

Are you feeling the holiday stress yet? Just walking into the store this time of year, we're reminded that CHRISTMAS is coming!!!! If your ready or not...the count down begins! I love this time of year, although I admit, I wish I had a little more time to prepare this year.

We did get something checked off the list last week....FAMILY PICTURES! I'm so excited to see the finished products. This is our first family picture with Nicholas. He wasn't so cooperative, so I'm hoping we at least got one or two cute shots. *crossing my fingers*

One of the greatest holiday time savers (especially for Christmas cards) is SHUTTERFLY! If you haven't had the chance to use their services, you're missing out. They do a wonderful job and have fabulous customer service! You can order photo prints, photo books, cards, calendars...the list goes on and on. Last year, we ordered our holiday cards through Shutterfly and they turned out so cute!! They have adorable Christmas photo cards this year! I'm so excited to make our card this year and Shutterfly makes it a super easy and pain free process. You simply choose your favorite card format and upload your photo of choice. I love receiving Christmas photos in the mail from my family and friends. They go straight to my refrigerator where I can enjoy seeing all those cute smiley faces!

And if you're still trying to come up with Christmas ideas....who wouldn't love a wall calendar filled with pictures of your cutie pie??! It's a great idea!

Of course, those of you who will procrastinate and miss out on sending your annual Christmas Cards.......Shutterfly even has NEW YEARS CARDS!

I'm sure you'll love Shutterfly as much as I do! Happy Holidays!

Gearing up for next week

Hello Blog!

I don't have anything specific to say, but wanted to drop in and try to keep up with the habit of blogging. Nothing much going on lately.

My daughter, Joy, has been in Missouri visiting her best friend for the past two weeks. Tomorrow I'm headed to Dallas to pick her up from the airport. We will also be bringing back my little nephew (who will be 2 in Oct), to stay with us for a week. I'm super excited about this next week, having Joy home and Nelek (my nephew) visiting!

Also, my younger brother is moving back home after living in VA for over a year. He is homesick and missing Texas. Boy do I understand! So, next week we're having a welcome home dinner for him. I'll be SURE to post pictures of the next week, because they'll be plenty of photo opportunities!

Well, thats about all for now. Peace out.

Checking it twice

Ahhh, the bucket list. A list of the wants and desires of our heart in this lifetime. Have you started yours? Lately I'm working on a new beginning in my life. I figure, hell, I'm 30! I'm an adult. I have made mistakes and learned from them (and probably still will), but now is as good a time as any to clean the slate. And why start your list when you're an old lady/man, with one foot in the grave? Of course, we never know our hour of departure, but I figure the earlier I start on this....the more I can get done! Seems like me and the hubby are inspiring each other, so we're both working on our lists. I just hope we're not the couple shown here! haha! I'll keep you posted on my progress towards said list. Meanwhile, what about you????

The Parting Glass

'The Parting Glass' is a traditional Irish folk song, normally sung at the end of a gathering of friends. These days we normally don't sing with our friends, unless you count the drunk karaoke nights...lol! So, I'm dedicating this song to my friends. The lyrics are alluring and this girl has a magnificent voice. Enjoy!

READ THE LYRICS

His Words are My Words

"Women are made to be loved, not understood." ~Oscar Wilde

If you personally know me, then you know I love quotes. There is something reassuring when I read the words of others, and can see the meaning in my own life. I have a notebook where I write my favorites, and when I go back through it, I can remember the reason I wrote certain ones down. It's like a trip down memory lane. Much like thumbing through a photo album, but of words of the heart. I've always believed there is such power in words, sometimes more powerful than anything physical. Words are the mental effects of our lives. You cannot take them back, once said. Even after asking forgiveness from a regretted statement, the other person is likely not to forget. Words mark our hearts. They can make us feel adored or tear us down. Be careful with your words. Your thoughts are the only thing that are private, but once verbalized, it is out there for the world to hear.

Miss me?

Wow...I had such good intentions with this blog thing, and then April happened...I turned 30 and it all went downhill, haha! Ahhhh! At least that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

So, where should I start? I will first tell you that I fell in love. Yep, head over heels...in LOVE. My love is for the book, "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. A good friend of mine suggested this book to me, as a summer reading assignment. I wasn't too "thrilled" when I picked the book up at the library and it weighed more than my child! Whew. After reading the first 100 pages I was assured that it would take me all summer to get through it. I started to hear through the grapevine, from people who have read it, that the first 200-250 pages were the hardest to get thru, but once you get past that, you're hooked. I took their word for it and continued to read. Boy, were they right! After 250 pages, I was a goner. I feel in love with the meaning, the characters, the author. I was just disappointed that it had taken me so long to come across such a wonderful read. Afterall, the book was written in 1957, WAY before I was even born. History or not though, this book was eye opening. It is just as valuable today as it was in Rand's time. Her writing is nothing if not eloquently accurate and deeply valuable. She is the basis of Objectivism, of which I am learning more about. I realize there is something to be said for empathy, only when it is deserved. Acquiring your happiness is not evil, it's a necessity. It's a political read, but there is so much more to it than just a political story. It is a story about life. The good and the evil and how with strength and courage of conviction, prevailing will be the outcome. I highly suggest it. But, remember...you have to bear with those first 250 pages!

The following are just a FEW of my favorite quotes from this book:

"Contractions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong."

"Run for your life from any man who tells you that money is evil. That sentence is the leper's bell of an approaching looter"

"I swear by my life and love of it that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine."


Like I said, these are just a FEW. I could go on and on with her powerful words of enlightenment. I will, no doubt, reread this book in the future. It's already on my Christmas list. ;)


This summer has been a bit more of a challenge than I expected, but with commitment to making our lives better, we're riding the roller coaster of life.

My kids are my strength. Joy is spending some time in Missouri for two weeks, with her best friend, Leah. I'm so thankful that they have remained friends since pre-school! She told me last night on the phone that it's like they "picked back up, right where they left off" and I know that feeling. I'm blessed in my life to have several of those types of friends myself and those friendships are special and treasured.

Nicholas is growing like a weed. When did my baby become a little boy??? He is such a BOY! He's rough and tumbles through the house non-stop. He loves his trucks, balls, dirt, water and currently his favorite toy is his tractor. His new and favorite word is "go" and he says it ALL-THE-TIME! I love watching him discover and learn new things, but I miss the days of that little sleeping bundle on my chest. =(

As for me, I was soooooo looking forward to a summer break, but as soon as it got here, I was done with it. I'm ready for class to start back. Of course, you can remind me of this statement when I'm posting "ughhhhh, I'm sick of studying" on my future blogs!

Anyways, that is all for now. Promise to write more soon.

My new Find!!!

Today, I stumbled across a wonderful thing......the school library!!!! Yep!!! Who knew the campus library was my sanctuary? It's full of adults, studying in peace and quiet . . . yep, peace and quiet!!! I had no idea. I've been struggling to get studying done all semester and who knew, all I needed was to head to the library. Of course, this depends on having Nicholas taken care of, but it's definitely something I need to do more often.

Hoppy Easter Everybunny!

Wow, I was super impressed with Nicholas's egg hunting abilities, considering he didn't practice! LOL! Today we went to church with my parents, ate Easter lunch and then Nicholas participated in the egg hunt. He seemed to know exactly what to do, for the most part. Of course, his big sister helped him hold the basket, to keep his hands free. He did seem a little confused that his sister wanted him to "put them in the basket", while he wanted to play with them....which, I think is why he kept looking for more.....LOL! After about 10 minutes of that, he was d-o-n-e with that game! All in all, it was a wonderful Easter, surrounded by people we love.

This is a big month for ME! I'm turning 30! The beginning of our festivities will actually be the weekend before my birthday. We're headed to Dallas. Baby will stay with grandparents and we're going out for an adult evening.....museum, dinner, drinks, hotel.....nice! Then, the following weekend, I'm kicking it old school with a slumber party. I was really hoping everyone would get all into it and come stay the night, drink and not worry about driving. But, it seems like there are alot of people who can't stay the night for various reasons.....oh well! It'll be fun, either way! I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO looking forward to it! Then, at some point, I'll be going out to my mom's for her homemade spaghetti...mmmmmmmmm....MY FAV!

Well, thats all for now......I just started watching True Blood and I have an episode ready to begin.

Ta-Ta for now.

Are you doubting your mad skillz????

Haven't blogged in awhile...sometimes because it seems like there is TOO much to say and other times, because there is nothing to say. But, I'm up late, so I thought I would do something semi-productive. Wait, is blogging considered being productive? Idk...but, let's just say yes.

I started a lifestyle change last week. It's not a "diet" or a quick weight loss plan, but it's really a lifestyle change. I LOVE IT! It can be hard at times...but seems like it gets easier and easier and almost like second nature, the more you do it. I've lost 3 lbs total and I'm already feeling much better.

Nicholas is doing good. We started Kindermusik classes and he LOVES them! He has such a heart & soul for music. I know most babies love music, but he LOVES MUSIC! Every song, beat, commercial, musical, cartoon, radio, or tapping, makes him stop, listen and dance. I literally caught him dancing to the birds chirping one day, when we had the windows open. He hears music in everything and it's beautiful. It's even taught me to slow down and listen for the smaller things in life.

Joy spent spring break with my parents, in Terlingua, TX. When she came home, she brought back beautiful photos that she took with her iPhone! She has an eye and I'm wondering if there is talent there. She took some unique pictures. She did really good. I pointed it out to her and she was like "oh, I like taking pictures, because it helps me to explore." I've learned so much more about her this year. She's such a deep person, with so many layers. And everytime I see a new level to her, I love her even more....if thats possible, because I love her with all my being.

Hubby is same 'ole, same 'ole....which is good. No complaints. We're a good fit. 'Nuff said. LOL!

I'm looking forward to my 30th b-day next month. Yep, the big 3-0! So far, I'm not bothered. I'm in a good place. 30's a number and beats the alternative. Besides, how can you complain about aging, when terminally ill patients would do anything for one more day?! Puts things into perspective, huh?! Yep.

So, now I wanna spit some random stuff out:
-Lately, I hate my hair. I love the length, but what good does it do me, when I have it put in a clipie ALL day. I need a change.
-In anatomy we are dissecting a cat and it's awesome. It's frickin' smelly AWESOME!
-I'm thankful for the grocery store across the street, because I'm afraid...wait, TERRIFIED of rats...and my hubby told me that we don't ever have to worry about that, because a rat would never bother our home, when HEB is across the street. SCORE! I now sleep better at night. =)
-I need to continue sewing, before I loose the skills I learned this semester.
-Joy and I decided one of our summer projects would be to make soap.
-I'm super excited about the summer. I'm not taking classes and I'm going to just ENJOY my kids. Who knows if I'll get this chance again? I'm going to try and enjoy every minute of it, as much as I can.
-I really need a Wii Fit....oh, and an iPod.
-Maybe I should play the lotto?

Peace!

A Vow & An Appreciation

Today I vowed to never text while driving, because of THIS story. Please take the time to read this and consider. It's so true......is that e-mail, call or text worth YOUR life or someone else's life? When you put it like that, it's a no brainer. Please consider taking this vow with me.


On a different note, I've come to a new appreciation of motherhood this week. For those that know me, you know what I'm going through right now. And I've always believed that there is a reason for everything. You learn one lesson today, that you use later down the road. It's all one large path that we each walk everyday. I've always loved being a mom. I've been one for as long as I can really remember. I practically grew up being a mother, but I suddenly realized the feeling of being a MOTHER. When you have to trust in your skills and lessons that you've taught your child and send them into the world to learn more. It's scary....but suddenly, I realize what this means. I'm meant to lead my children, like all of us mothers are. All we can do is our best, and just recently, after a humiliating experience....I realized that I do just that! I've done my best. I will continue to do so, but it's brought a new feeling in my heart. It's scary, but promising at the same time.

I love my children. I love being their mom.

My Daughter, My JOY!

You can see it in their eyes,

in tender hugs and long good-byes,

a love that only moms and daughters know.

You can see it in their smiles,

through passing years and changing styles,

a friendship that continuously seems to grow.

You can see it in their lives,

the JOY each one of them derives,

in just knowing that the other was in there . . .

To care and to understand,

lend an ear or hold a hand,

and to celebrate the memories they share.

-Anonymous

My creative daughter is really getting into painting lately. This is her latest project. Her pink and zebra shelf. She actually did some touch-up work after I took this pic, so it even looks better than this! I thought she did an amazing job!

Can you tell that she likes the zebra print? LOL! I actually made her (sewed) a zebra and pink pillowcase for her birthday, which is Friday. I can't wait to give it to her. It's extra special since I made it. I'll have to take pictures when she opens it.

She has always been a "crafty" person. She is most happiest when she is making/creating something. I am most happy, when she is happy! I LOVE HER!

Index cards are my new BFF!

I feel so incognito lately, because all I do is study, study, study! The semester has really take off and it seems like every week I have a test...and sometimes TWO! I'm working very hard at not just "passing" but making GOOD grades. The nursing program is so competitive. I need everything I can on my side to get in. After this semester, I have one more ahead of me, before I can apply for the nursing program. Of course, you don't always get in on the first try, so I'll just keep trying. It actually works nicely, because meanwhile, I can be home with my baby boy. Once I get into the nursing program, Mister Mister here is going to have to go to a daycare/preschool program...OUCH! He won't like that. It'll be pretty rough on ALL of us, but that is the future. Right now, I'm focusing on the present.

My sewing class is also going well. I only have two more classes. During the last class, we made a tissue holder. It's a tissue holder for the mini tissue packs, that you carry in your purse or car, etc. I was giggling that I was soooooo nervous, but it came out good. I'm really hoping to keep up with sewing and learn even more. It would be nice to also be able to teach Joy.

Nicholas is doing great. He is almost solidly walking. If he falls, he even stands back up and starts walking again. Crawling is rare. He now only has one bottle when he wakes up and one bottle before bed time. Other than that, he drinks from his sippy cup during the day. He has gotten to a point where he WILL NOT let me feed him. So, we've pretty much done away with any sort of cereals, etc. He is strictly on table/finger foods. He loves a good grilled cheese...but HATES scrambled eggs. lol =) He has his one year check-up in the morning, so I'm anxious to see how much my little chubby boy weighs.

Joy is doing well. Her birthday is next Friday (2/26) and we originally had plans to camp out in Austin at their new Ren Fest with a group of friends. However, it looks like the weather might be raining that weekend and alot of people have backed out for all sorts of reasons. Sooooooo, I think we're headed to Galveston for the day. Joy wants to eat at the Rainforest Cafe and of course, we all LOVE the beach. It'll be nice to get out of town....especially to our favorite Texas spot.

Oh, hubby and I finally found a bar that we really enjoy together. It's called Downtown Uncorked and it's in Downtown Bryan. We love the atmosphere in downtown Bryan anyways, but this bar is very nice.....it's a wine bar, but they do carry some beers (thank goodness for hubby!). I've also found a favorite wine and mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....yeah, I can have too much fun there for sure! Sunday they are having a jazz player there and I think we're going to pop in for a drink. I'm excited! It does me and hubby good to get out of the house for an hour or two together. We're doing good with our New Years Resolution, to do something together at least once a month. It's definitely made us a little closer, which is extra nice, because lately we're on such different schedules.

Well, that's my update. Nothing too exciting to report....but that's a good thing!

Ta-ta for now,

Me

Kudos to Hubby!

This year hubby and I decided to make each other Valentines Day presents. And I have to say, I think we both did very good. We were both doubting our gifts, but in the end....I think we were happy! Yay us!

Hubby made me this Nursing Frame. I thought he did a good job! I can't wait to one day put my nursing school graduation photo in here. I also thought that this gift shows his support for my schooling, which is more appreciated than words or gifts could ever express. Good job, Hubby!

I made this tray for hubby. It's (of course) decorated with football theme. I sanded, painted, and decoupaged the scrap paper and decor.

This was the purpose I had in mind for this tray. We call it a "dump" tray....where he can empty his pockets when coming in from work. Currently, all these stuff (keys, knife, wallet, change, etc.) ended up in various places through the house. I thought this might be an easy way for him to have all his stuff in one spot. Plus, of course, it's a win-win for me!

After exchanging gifts, I ran errands for the day and then we headed to Downtown Uncorked for a few drinks. It was a little TOO much fun for me, but good times. I finally found a good brand of wine that I like and enjoyed several glasses....yeah...fun!

Overall, our "Love" day was just that....full of love! From the kiddos, to the hubby, to the wine! =) I hope all of you had a day of laughter and love, as well.

Giveaway: The Biggest Loser for Wii

Check this out! I could really use some incentive to drop some pounds. Maybe a FREE Wii game will do the trick?

Giveaway: The Biggest Loser for Wii

Beautiful Painting

The Light of the World
by William Holman Hunt

Rev 3:20

Christmas in February

For Christmas, my hubby signed me up for a 4 week sewing class (one night per week). Tonight was my first sewing class. I had no idea what to expect, so I nervously arrived at the class this evening with sewing machine in hand! The class was AWESOME! She went over all the basics and added in so many good tips on what the buy, where, etc. I'm SO happy that I'm in the class. I'm hoping to learn some awesome skills!

I haven't blogged lately, because school is kicking my butt this semester. It's great and I'm glad I'm going, but this semester is ALOT more work than last. I'm supposed to be studying 2 hours PER day PER class . . .4 hours a day?? Are you kidding me? When? LOL!

More later . . Peace!

Dancing

Well, I meant to post on Nickel's birthday, this past Tuesday, but the day got away from me and not in a good way. Unfortunetely, my little guy has been feeling under the weather and I'm working hard to get him better for his FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY THIS SATURDAY! I put this all in caps, because I'm super excited. Of course, his theme is "Yo Gabba Gabba"...because that show makes him smile and dance! I love to see my baby boy dance! We dance every single day.

One time I had a friend named Devorah. She was such an earthly and hippie soul and I loved hanging out with her. I was probably 16 and she was probably 20. She had a little boy, named Josh, and one day when I went to see her, she was holding her 1 mth old baby and dancing to Fleetwood Mac. She had such a free flowing happiness and I remember just watching her and her baby boy and feeling her love for him. Whenever Nicholas and I dance, I often think of her, because I feel that love. It's a special time we have and Nicholas has developed such a love for music.

I just thought I would share.

Red Bugs or Red Skin?

I notice frequently that there are ladybugs in my bathroom. Of course, we've all heard how ladybugs are good luck, so I never shoo them away. They don't bother me....I don't bother them. So, today I decided to look up a few ladybug myths. I didn't realize there were so many. I found this site and if you scroll down, you can read all sorts of ladybug superstitions from all over the world. Why can't a ladybug mean luck? It sounds good to me.

Also, here is a tip that I recently read:
"You should moisturize your skin after a hot shower, within 3 minutes of getting out of the shower. That is when your skin is most acceptable to the qualities of the lotion to lock in the moisture."

This made sense, but I had never thought about it. I often use lotion, but sometimes don't get around to it until after I've done the hair or make-up. Since I read this, I've been moisturizing as soon as I towel off and I have definitely noticed a difference in my skin! It's not drying out like it normally does. Of course, if you tend to have dry skin, you'll want a good lotion. I've been using Moisture Therapy by Avon. It's affordable and really works. I always thought it was too "heavy", but since I've been using it straight out of the shower, my skin soaks up the lotion and it leaves it feeling soft...not greasy.

That's my thoughts for the day. =)