Wednesday, November 30, 2011

My 2011 Christmas card debut.

Go Shine Brightly Religious Christmas Card
Shutterfly has classic, elegant Christmas invitations for your party.
View the entire collection of cards.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Today I am Thankful For - Complicated Simplicty (Day 15)

So today I was trying to think of something clever...you know, I am witty and funny, and I didn't want to disappoint my fan base...ha ha.


So as I was driving home, I realized I am thankful for the complicated simplicity that is nature. I saw a tree. The tree has  bright yellow droopy leaves. From the time it took me to get from the stop sign to the end of the block, I got to witness the tree drop most of it's leaves with the gust of the wind. At first I thought
"hey that's pretty cool"
and then as I thought about it some more, i thought
"how does the tree and it's leaves know how to do that"
and then I thought
"I am thinking about this simple act way too hard"
and then I thought
"How crazy is the complexity of the simple things in life we take for granted"

So without over analyzing, without under analyzing, I am just thankful for the complicated simple things in life....like nature and that it knows what to do with itself.

Today I am Thankful for - No Babysitting and more of my husband (Day 14)

Waking up today i felt like death! My whole and I mean whole abdoman region feel like someone is squishing all my insides with a pasta maker and stabbing me all over in a dull throbbing manner.....and I thought I was on the toilet alot yesterday today was 90 times worse. So bad so, Jason would say "wow you are still in here" and he is the king of the toilet. So during one of my sessions....i sat and thought, "Boy am I thankful that I am on a kid hiatus of sorts"
My sister (who is going through something similar - bless her heart) just had her baby so she is home with both her kids........and Ainsley's mom is in between jobs right now, and to save money Ainsley doesn't come as often (I miss that kid!) and so, I am kid free, which helps on days like today where the bed and the toilet were the only two places I wanted to be....
So with all that said, I am still ever most thankful for my husband......he has bought me soup, made me soup, makes sure I eat, make sure I have the medicine I need, and comes and loves on me because he knows that I am a baby in that manner when it comes to needing to be held and coddled when I am sick...
and tonight per my grandmothers instruction, he was even careful to select the perfect flavor of kaopectate for me.....buy it....and make me drink it......well make is not the best word, but he did check up and made sure I did it....
Pepermint seemed easier to digest than smooth vanilla.

I love my husband.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Today I am thankful for (Catchup again) day 13

2nd Corinthians 12:9-109And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

On Sunday it was preached that Paul was seriously happy when he was sick.....he took pleasure in it, because without a weakness then Christ couldn't show his power, healing powers, enduring powers...

This scripture caught my ear because, I was laid out on the side of the pew d.y.i.n.g.

So I wake up Sunday morning, after having had a busy Saturday....and boom. I have to go to the bathroom.
I go, and go and go and go.......and Jason comes in asking me to take him to the church (he runs sound and had to be there early for a choir practice) and when I can't get up to take him, he leaves me telling me he would be back to pick me up later.
I finally get the gusto to get up and get ready for church..I just did the throw something on because it matched, and took my hair down and threw it back up without even brushing it.....bad I know. Then Jason had asked me to steam his suit jacket....I did try.....but as I was trying, I then got the urge that I need to eat something, knowing how my stomach was acting up I thought a glass of milk would be good for the protein.....boy was I wrong...as soon as the milk hit my stomach...I had to go  back to the bathroom.....ugh.
Jason gets home to pick me up, i make it out of the bathroom and get to church. Jason at this point is begging me to get a pregnancy test because he thinks I am preggo....I am telling him I know I am sick but I don't think it is a baby....(for the record i took a test in between poops......and no I am not)
I get to church, and that's the scripture I hear....

Then we get home from church, run a few errands with Jason and then I attempt to take one bite of subway sandwich....and back to the restroom again......after that session with the toilet, I need a nap. I go get a few minutes of shut eye before I was back up at the church for choir practice...but when I woke up from my nap, I felt worse than I did before i slept. Not only was my stomach unsettled, but now I feel weak from head to toe and completely wiped out. It was all the energy I had to practice a very enthusiastic song...whew I was wiped out!!
After church we all went to fellowship at taco bueno, and I barely ate a bow of soup and drank some sprite.
We get home and I am running a low grade temp, I went to rest and soak in the tub.....that was at 11:30pm..........at 2:00am, I wake up from my accidental nap in the tub to find Jason asleep on the couch and me freezing because i was sitting in a cold tub....(don't worry about drowning danger, I am too long for any kind of head contact to the water in the tub)
I go to sleep......again laying in bed I think, dang I forgot yesterday and today's thankful blog.......then zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I was out..

So here is what I would write had I written yesterday.......

Today I am thankful for my pastors relationship with God......with him being on the level he is, he is able to provide the words of wisdom we as a congregation need at that exact moment....like when I was dead on the pew and feeling like junk....I learned that I can be thankful to be in the situation I was in because with out my moments of weakness I would not get to experience the power of God.

Today I am Thankful for Day 12 (Catch up)

Day 12 was Saturday....
I was very very busy Saturday...
I had a friends prewedding help..
Then I had to go pick up hay bales for a church youth event (did you know you can rent those things?)
Back to the church for more wedding help
Home to get ready for wedding
Wedding
Wedding reception
Run fast to the store get the finishing things needed to make dirt desert
Make dirt dessert (mess up on it, but shhhhh don't tell anyone)
Go back up to the church for youth activity
Have a Hillbilly Hoedown with the youth..
Clean up from said hoedown
Get more food (hillbilly soup wasn't enough)
Eat
Bathe
Fall asleep in the bath....
Wake up to cold water...
Go to bed.
Lay in bed and think....oh drats, I forgot Day 12.....then roll over and sleep.

So had this been Saturday, I would say the following...

Today I am thankful for being busy. I know I was thankful for the quiet before the storm, but there is also something to be said about being busy...it sometimes stresses me out, and makes me feel like a chicken with my head cut off....but it also makes me feel very important. I am needed by other people, I have the talents it takes to help with things...it feels good to be a part of something...

Ecclesiastes 10:18
By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

i don't want to be the reason the house drops through! Praise the Lord for being busy!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Today i am thankful for: military people (day 11)

My grandfathers my uncles my cousins my husbands family members all have been in the military in some form or fashion.
And without people willing to not care about the pay and risks...but choose to love and respect their country...love it's freedoms and join the military to fight....represent...love....and honor to preserve these freedoms...we may not be the power housed country we are today!
I enjoy my freedoms....and the veterans and active duty members fight for my loves! 
THANK YOU VETERANS! I am thankful for you all!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Today I am Thankful for: Realization that I am Good Enough (Day 10)

Today as I sat in a planning meeting and we were throwing around ideas about a girls conference centered around "inner beauty" I realized that I am thankful for the inner beauty I have found. There have been many many times (years and years to be exact) where I looked in the mirror and hated what i saw. I hated the fat I have always had on me. I hated the color of my hair. I hated the plain face looking back at me. I just hated the lack of beauty I thought I had.
I would love to say this hatred was "back" when I was "younger"....but honestly it was very recent. I would try to make myself different...color and cutting my hair to change what the Lord had already given me. Covering my face with makeup to hide the imperfections I saw that were haunting me. Starving myself then being so hungry I would gourge myself till I was sick trying to figure out how to quickly change my outward apperance.
I strived for male attention to just HEAR someone tell me I was pretty enough....I was always afraid I was the eternal "friend" and never marriage material....being single for the rest of my life seemed to be what would be the final result....
Something has changed.
I have found who I am when I lost the charade I was putting myself through.
I have found an inner peace where I used to be be chaotically seeking approval. I am pretty enough to love, I am skinny enough to hug, I am funny enough to keep your attention...I was always seeking the yes answer to "AM I GOOD ENOUGH"
Where did I find this inner peace that has calmed the sea of good enough??? Well that my friends is through finally seeing beyond the makeup, the weight and the personality....I worked with what the Lord has given me, and don't try to fix something he created. (Sure I am losing weight, and obviously it wasn't the Lord who made me take a bite of the food that made me fat....but he has a plan for me, and it is my job to be prepared to do the job...and I know that I am to have children, and so now my job is to lose the weight it takes for me to be healthy enough to have these kids...) I don't repaint his masterpeice anymore. I finally am breaking down my vanity brick by brick and letting Him shine though my actions, my words, my body......and I am enjoying and loving the way this looks.
It's not to say I don't have the days where I look in the mirror and sigh hoping to see a runway models body instead of the pleasently plump one that stood there looking back at me....but I don't dwell on it and get sad and depressed about it, and go and try to hide it or cover it up with something that is against the will of God.
I am letting God be God and letting me be the spiritual being living this human exsistance.....

all this talk reminds me of the scripture in Matthew.... "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven"

Today I am thankful for: Blogging (Day 9)

I HEART reading blogs. I get to peak in on peoples life, learn about other ways of cooking, parenting, styles of home decorating, diy projects etc....I follow almost 30 blogs on my google reader...and most of those people I follow on twitter as well.....I start to feel like I "know" these people, and that we are "friends" so this may be a delusional reality, but it is fun...it is almost like getting lost in a autobiography that is updated daily!!! too fun!
So there is a part of me who wants to be a "famous" blogger. Someone who has followers in the thousands, who is recognized in public for the random words I say on the Internet. A cool person who has a lot of nothing to say and gets paid to say it......but then another part of me wants to be an anonymous blogger, who can say exactly everything she wants when she wants without recourse of feelings or reputation.
but seeing as I am neither
I am thankful for this little corner of cyberspace that has my name on it. I am thankful that I have a spot in the world wide web to share my thoughts and feelings as random as they may be...I may not have a thousand people who care, but I do know that I have a spot where I can vent, praise, share, and be as vague or as detailed as I want (although because there is random people who drop by, I try to keep it as family friendly as possible)......it is mine.
So today day 9, I am thankful for blogging...the writing and reading of blogging.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Today I am Thankful for: Lapband (Day 8)

Today I am thankful for my lapband.

Like yesterday, today is also an anniversary. Today is the 1 year anniversary of our surgery date for our lapband.
So I had started on this blog my "lapband journey" a little bit. But honestly after a while I was discouraged. I wasn't losing the weight that i knew could be lost. I would go online and read posts on lapbandtalk.com and see how many people had lost so much weight in such a small time.
I knew I wasn't eating like I should, some of my choices were still high calories, but I rationalized it with me eating less.
But as of June of this year, I went to see my doctor, and he told me that i wasn't at the fill level I needed to be at to have optimal results (a fill is when they insert saline into the lapband to give restriction to how much food is passed through the band to be processed gastrically - otherwise it sits in the pouch created to continue to tease the nerves in my stomach saying it's full).
I got the fill I needed and started to lose weight like a champ!
In June I weighed 298 (only a few pounds from my 306lb presurgery weight) and right now, I am 271. With that, I am now at a spot where I know I will need more fill, for more weight loss. But with or without the fill, I can see myself making better choices, and with that, I am learning how to make this lapband a life changing experience rather than just another diet.
My goal weight is 180, however, my ultimate goal with lapband was not to lose weight for appearances. I could careless how big or small I am, I am happy with me. My goal was to lose weight enough so I can have children.
I was told by multiple doctors that if I lost 30 pounds, I would become pregnant. Well, I have lost that "30" and still nothing...no baby....but I am trusting that the Lord sees where I am with that want and will continue to bless me with my lapband to lose the weight I need to be as healthy as I need to be for carrying, birthing, and raising children.

Not sure if you can see a difference, but here is this day last year, as well as a picture of me on 10/31 of this year, as a sort of before and after pic....


So I am thankful for lapband and making new and healthy choices!!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Today I am Thankful For: My Husband (Day 7)

Today I am thankful for my husband. The reason it took me 7 days to declare my thankfulness for him is because today is a special one for us. November 7,2009 we got married. It was a stressful time because of situations leading up to the day, however, despite the before and afters, we had a magical day. I got to marry my best friend. So many people came out to celebrate with us, and we were able to share the memories with them.

We are having our 2 year wedding anniversary today.

Here I am sitting next to my husband while he is on the couch. He is plugged into his laptop on a work call. I am a lucky woman to have my husband home with me daily. He has a fantastic job, and provides well for his family and he gets to do it from home. I get to see my husband all day, he gets to take breaks and snuggle with me, talk with me, love on me. He desires to provide the best for us and he will not settle for less even if it means he does without.
He is thoughtful and caring by nature. He is always shocked when I react to something he does. He will (for no reason) buy me something, do the laundry, wash the dishes, and when I am happy and tell him it is the sweetest thing he tries to play it off.
There is a song called "Lucky" and when I hear it I always cry. I cry because I know I am so very blessed to have Jason in my life, I am blessed to have such a strong leader in my family, an example for my stepchildren as well as the children I will be blessed with in the future. He is my sanity in the crazy world we live in, he is my best friend when everyone else leaves, he is my shoulder to cry on when I have run out of tissues, he is a stronghold when chaos ensues, he is my everything on this Earth, and I can not ask for a better person!
I am thankful thankful thankful to have William Jason Weaver as my life long best friend.

Here is a little snippet of  the song "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callet

Boy i hear you in my dreams
i feel your whisper across the sea
i keep you with me in my heart
you make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
lucky to have been where i have been
lucky to be coming home again
ooh ooh ooh

They don't know how long it takes
waiting for a love like this
every time we say goodbye
i wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you i promise you, i will

Here are a few of the pictures from my favorite day ever.....





Sunday, November 6, 2011

Today I am Thankful For: Fall Decorations (Day 6)

I would have said today I am thankful for Holiday decorations, but this is November, and I am thinking that Thanksgiving is on most minds right now...so I am showing the mantel of my house.

I just recently developed a love for all things Kirklands, and everything on my mantle is from Kirklands (If you hit the right sales, it can be very cheap.) But my main focus is the Fall Decorations. I have moved from having halloween based decorations to just fall decor...and I think that has stemmed from my growing decoration maturity.


Saturday, November 5, 2011

Today I am Thankful for: Quiet before the storm (Day 5)

Quiet before the storm? Sounds foreboding I know...but it isn't as bad as it may first sound.

I have a busy week ahead.
  1. Bridal/Personal Shower - to organize, decorate, and execute
  2. A Meeting to plan an area wide "girls" event for church (which I may have to miss because of scheule conflicts)
  3. Rehersal Dinner
  4. Wedding
  5. Youth Event
As a matter of fact I have a busy next two months ahead.

November
  1. (Everything above)
  2. Organize church Thanksgiving dinner
  3. My time helping to serve an elderly lady at church (two or three times this month)
  4. My own family thanksgiving
  5. Church duties
  6. Plan and organize Decembers advent calander
  7. Parade of Lights in Fort Worth
  8. College and Career activity (we are the leaders)
  9. Organize Decembers concert, including gathering money for people who want to go and pay for the tickets
  10. Create Christmas Cards (because I was the winner!!)
  11. Organize Turkey Bowling with other fun Youth leaders
  12. Decorate for Christmas
  13. Babysitting almost daily
December
  1. Plan and execute Christmas Banquet
  2. Concert with College and Career
  3. Plan and execute Christmas party for College and Career
  4. 25 days straight of Advent events/activities/stuff for my family (should I have 25 spaces for this alone??)
  5. More Youth activities with more fun youth and leaders
  6. New Years Eve
  7. Christmas Recovery
  8. Babysitting almost daily
  9. There is more I am sure just have no more mental capacity in my head to think about writting....

 And even though every single day is not planned out, I know that most weeks are jammed packed with things to do, events to be at, people to see, etc. But as of today....I have nothing on my agenda for today. It is a quiet day. I am able to put dinner in the crockpot sit back and do blogs, facebook games, snuggle with my honey, enjoy the nice weather, catch up on laundry, and dishes (the last two do not seem fun, but doing them at my leisure is better than rushing about trying to squeeze them in).
All in all, I have a busy week,and next few months.... but today is mine...to be relaxed and enjoy a Saturday!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Today I am thankful for: Coupons (Day 4)

I have posted several blogs about my coupon trips. I have several pictures on facebook as well. I love coupons.
I have been interested in coupons WAY before the Extreme Coupon show on TLC. As a matter of fact I used to help my grandmother sort and file coupons back when I was little.
Just two years ago I got interested in a website called www.thegrocerygame.com this site was a phenomenon to me. It told you where each coupon was and what store you can get the best savings for. I used it a few times to get a few deals, but I ran into a problem every time I went to get the advertised "deal" (mostly freebies) I could never find the product. I was unaware of coupon policies, and rainchecks and how they all worked together, so I got discouraged and quit.
Once I got into the TLC show Extreme Couponing, I did a little research, and poked around the world wide web for different (free) websites that I could use. And the one I found, and like the most had a "Coupon 101" tutorial. It also layed out each store, how the coupon police worked and how to play the coupon game. I was hooked.
Now, a few months into it, I am still not an obsessed extreme couponer, however I do have a stockpile. I would love love love to have a crazy huge stockpile, but I never see that happening. Why you may ask?? Well that's because I don't coupon to hoard. I coupon to help the less fortunate, people in need, family, and friends.
Currently I have about 30 razors and 10 refill packs in my closet, do I need all of those? No. Did I spend a ton of money on them? No. BUT every time someone comes into the house, they typically leave with something out of my closet.I have sent people away with two huge grocery bags full of stuff.
If finances are good that month, Jason gives me $50 to play my coupon game. Do you know how much stuff you can get with $50???? More than my family will need....but enough to help others.

I am not the best coupon organizer. I do have one of those fun ginormous double sided binders filled with baseball card holders....but I am the worst at clipping and organizing the coupons. I am not worried about it too much because the website that I use will tell me the date and insert the coupon I need is in....so I can have the whole insert laying about and still get the job done.

I use the website www.southernsavers.com the most. but there are a few others I follow on facebook and get info about good deals from.
I typically coupon at drug stores like CVS and Walgreens, I do the occasional Walmart trips, and I have done a few grocery stores. The actual grocery store intimidates me with coupons, so I am not all about it yet. I know I could get deals, and it kills me when I buy something I know I have a coupon for (bringing the coupon binder would be helpful here, but remember it is unorganized and outdated with coupons) but I don't let myself stress too much about it. And if worse comes to worse, I can go home gather the coupons, take the receipt and the coupons back to the store and they will give me money back...
My goal is to be a well oiled coupon machine, but all in due time.

Creepystalkercards...

Okay so I have a secret.
I am a blog/twitter stalker.
I know, creepy.
But I love being able to sneak into the window of peoples online corner, and see what other people do day to day, and if they offer up the info online, then, shoot, why not read it.
I used to blog all.the.time. and I would blog about anything! And when I did, I had a few "paid" posts, where a company would pay me money to advertise for them. BUT then there would be other posts that I did that I got stuff from. Last year at this time I was able to post for Shutterfly and my compensation was 50 free christmas cards to design and edit for my family. I was excited for it this year, and had been keeping my eye out for the sign up website to get considered. Sadly this year they didn't want me. I figure it is because my blog traffic isn't as great as it once was....but thats ok. I get the chance to win 25 free prints by stalking a super fun girl from Oklahoma.
The point of this blog tonight is to mention that :
Whitney from Glamlifehousewife has a reviews blog. And there she is able to offer 3 different people the 25 cards....
So here is to a good luck for me, and the other two luck winners of thses cards!!!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Today I am Thankful for: Crockpots (Day 3)

As petty as it sounds, today I am thankful for crockpots.

I have three crockpots.
People may think that that is two too many...but take it from me, it's almost not enough.

My favorite thing to do is put together a crockpot meal overnight, and wake up to smelling the goodness inside.

One pot mess.
No Fuss.
Easy.

Every third Wednesday I am in charge of a team that makes dinner for the church, we use it as a fundraiser for a new Familylife Center. And with that I typically make things for church via crockpot.
Tonight (as in 10:30pm) I prepared stuffed cabbage, I put it in my crockpot, and it will be ready to eat tomorrow for lunch. YAY! See how esasy it was for me to prepare it when I had the energy and tomorrow I will have a much more relaxed day.

Here are the things I typically make in the crockpot.....(but I am not against trying new things!)

Chili
Spaghetti/Marinara sauce
Roast
Soups
Red Beans
Pinto Beans
Cabbage Rolls

YAY for Crockpots!! And if just having a crockpot isn't enough for you, here is a website that will help you use it to the best of its potential!!
http://crockpotgirls.com/

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Today I am Thankful for: Old Bundles of Joys (Day 2)

between etting married to Jason and my dad getting married to Karen, I got to inherit lots of nieces and nephews I never experienced this before...and then shortly after that, flesh and blood nephew was born, so I went from having 0 to having.....15 as of today. So today I am listing my neices and nephews and what I appreciate about all of them..

1.Kaitlyn - She is so fun and bubbly. She is at the fun teenage years where talking, boys, and shopping is the funnest. I wish I lived closer to her so I could go watch her play basketball!!!
2.Walker - He is a goofball, he is always so polite with they ma'am and sir. Once when he spent the night with us he had us rolling with all the funny jokes he had to tell. Aaron and him are like brothers, play hard and fight hard, its quite fun to watch them together.
3.Sarah - I have heard many stories of her as a little kid and all the mischief she would get into. I haven't experienced that myself, but I have got to see her be so versitile, a tomboy to the heart but a girly girl at the same time! She is so sweet!
4.Austin - He says the funniest things. like "I tant share my toys I just tant".
5.Alexa - She is shy at first and since we don't get to see her often, it takes her a minute to remember me, but each time she gets comfortable, she comes and gives me the sweetest hugs!
6.Abigail - She is a newer addition, don't know much about her yet except that she is the cutest little doll face in the whole east side of texas! and she laughs at anything Uncle Jason does and gives him the biggest and sweetest hugs each time we see her.
7.Shayla - She is Miss Social butterfly now that she is older..she is very compassionate and cares for peoples feelings, and is the sweetest big sister (well most times).
8.Jasmine - She was one of the first kids to call me "Aunt Layla" and that memory will stick in my mind forever! My favorite memory of her is when she would come sit in my bed with me and want to watch Rachel Ray cooking show with me. I taught her nursery rhymes when she was little and we would play ABC's as I would try to teach her how to write....I love this girl.
9.Julia - She is an independent woman, she loves to hang with her sister Gabby and is very popular. She has managed to still be a wonderful young woman despite some hardships growing up! Admorable.
10.Gabby - When we lived next door to her in our old apartment, she would come over and have me teach her how to cook and scrapbook, I loved that she was interested in what I was interested in.
11.Delia - When I see her at church she makes me smile, she is always quick to hug me and tell me if I am looking nice that day. She wants to be around her family and is a wonderful big sister to Kristen.
12.Kristen - he makes me a bit sad...only because I was his babysitter until last July when I had gotten sick, and now he barely knows me and takes a minute to hug me or talk to me. I used to be his favorite, and maybe one day when he grows up I will return to #1 spot...until then, I will remember he is 2 years old and that time heals all wounds, lol.
13.Nikolas - He is a firecracker, he likes things the way he likes them, including his sippy cup, he won't just settle for anything...he doesn't do much talking yet, but he will grunt up a storm. He is my "almost" birthday buddy, and right now I get the honor of watching him daily as his mom is working...I am his favorite, just ask him.
14.Calista - She is also one of those, girly tomboys, and it fits her perfect. She loves animals, and her mommy and grandmother. It is so sweet when she draws me pictures, I put them on the fridge for the whole world to see!! So sweet!
15. Victoria - see yesterdays post for details on the newest kid.

Today I am thankful for all my little neices and nephews, and the joys they bring to me. They have all taught me something, and continue to impress, delight, and overjoy me! Seeing their little faces during the holiday season is what and why I do what I do to make the holidays special! I love them all!

This picture is just a few of my neices and nephews along with Alyssa and Aaron.....

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Today I am Thankful for: New Bundle of Joy (Day 1)

Well todays Thankful post is a no-brainer.

Yesterday my sister Veida had her 2nd baby. Victoria Frances Dima was born at 8:22am on Oct.31,2011 she weighed 7lb. 13oz and was 19inch long. She is the sweetest newborn. I haven't been able to spend too much time up there loving on her, but my day will come. However, I did get a chance to put a big ol' bow on her head, and sneak in a few kisses...I am so excited to take some of the same pictures I did when Nikolas was born, because just looking back at his hospital pics, it is funny to see how we have all changed and it has only been a year...
So without further ado, let me introduce my blog to Miss Tori (I think I am going with that has her nickname.....its still a trial run.)



So today I am thanful for this new little bundle of joy who has entered our family as sweetly as one can get. She will bring lots of laughter, smiles and happiness to our ever changing ever growing family!

Daily Thankfulness.

I am going to be doing a post every day for something/someone/someplace I am thankful for. I am hoping this will do three things for me.
1) Develop the habit of blogging again
2) Help me get refamiliar with the blogger website and all the new fun things it has added since I was a regular blogger
but most importantly
3) Help me dig deep and remind me how blessed I am and how thankful I am for the blessings in my life.
So, really this isn't for anyone but me, but if you are so inspired to play along each day, please feel free...

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Inspiration has finally rubbed off...

I love my google reader. I read blogs daily. And daily I think...maybe I should sit down and write a blog...I miss the days where even the most mundane tasks were "bloggable". Occassionally my husband will say things like "why are you taking a picture of your food, are you going to blog it?" and my answers lately are no...just want to remember it. Where did the blogger in me go? Google reader is an inspiration, but when will I catch the fever again?
I had another blog I blogged almost daily, but it got boring to me, and I got married, had some family drama associated with it, and lost my inspiration, for pretty much everything.

Last November on the day after our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I had the lapband surgery. So then I was going to redirect my focus on the blog to weight loss.... fail.

This past spring I jumped on the coupon bandwagon, I even posted a few of my "deals"....then lost interest in sharing it all when there are better couponers and bloggers out there...I still coupon, but I just don't brag share it anymore...

So enter pinterest...I turned to stalking other blogs and pinning their inspirational blog pics, how to's, and information...
Que today.
I found myself happening upon a blog. That led to me reading back to the start of their blog to get "caught up" with who they were.. then I thought...if someone happened upon my blog, what would I want them to know about me? My 30/30 posts never got finished, my lapband updates were not finished, so will they know me as someone who never finished anything as true as that is sometimes..well no I would like this blog to be an inspiration to others as well as a journal of sorts for me, my husband, my family, my stepkids, my unborn unconceived children..

So here I am starting again, channeling my 14 year old self and writting with all the bubbly letters I could muster up "Dear Diary, it's me again! I can't believe I haven't written in you for 6 months, I have alot to catch you up on"

Here's to another attempt! Maybe even a more RAW, and uncensored look as to who I am and how I got here, mixed with a little bit of nonsense, food, decor, and decisions....

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Monday, May 9, 2011

Who hearts what...

Aaron rarely has homework... I mean pretty much never.... this is only the second night in his whole entire school year he had to bring work home.
Today after he did his chores we sat down at the table and proceeded to talk about his work. When he was doing his work...I got bored. So instead of doing dishes or starting dinner like one would think I would do....I inked him. Much in the fashion of the I *heart* mom tatoos...I did my own.
After he saw it he wiped of my name and wrote in "me". The ink went from "I *heart* my layla" to "I heart me"...sheesh


Walgreens trip 5/9/2011

Total cost $25.61
Total spent $2.17
Total saved $23.44 (91.53% savings)


Another coupon trip 5/3/2011

Total cost $57.37
Total spent $17.49
Total savings $39.88 (69.51% savings)


Walgreens trip 5/3/2011

Total cost $45
Total spent $7.98
Total saved $37.02 (82.26% savings)


Walgreens trip 5/2/11

Total cost $48
Total paid $19.16
Total saved $28.84 (60.8% savings)


Friday, April 22, 2011

My first real attempt.

Like everyone else who watches it...I want to be like the extreem couponers of the new tlc show.... I have couponed in the past...but here is my first real planned attempt.

It took me over 3 hours to plan.
I gathered the majority of my info from www.thegrocerygame.com
I cut out all the coupons
Made a game plan on how to use registar rewards in their best capacity....
I went to the store only to find the majority of my list was already picked up..and I can safely assume it was other xtrm couponers....
So I improvised.
And I feel like I failed. But I can see how others would have been impressed.

I spent $18.67
Saved exactly $30

But my orignal plan was to buy $10.35 and save $78....

Can you see how I felt defeated?

So anyways...my loot consisted of the following:

2 schick shaving gel
2 nivia mens body wash
2 reach toothbrushes
2 reach floss
1 always 44ct maxi pad
12 mars regular sized candy bars.
1 small dawn dish soap
1 russel stovers chocolate covered egg.

Maybe next week I will have better luck


Thursday, April 14, 2011

30 in 30 April Update

1. Lose "30" pounds. (10/30) 2. Get my diabetes under control (0/12) 3. Visit my grandmother at least twice a month (8/24) 4. Read three books for leisure (1/3) 5. Complete three bible studies (0/3) 6. Complete 30 sewing projects (2/30) 7. Learn 3 new crafts (1/3) -we are refinishing my grandmothers old dresser, I have never sanded and stained anything in my life.... 8. Complete 30 new scrapbook pages (0/30) 9. Do 30 random acts of kindness (30/30) - helped a family out for the whole month of September, and it looks as if it will continue on for months, also is continually helping a single teenage mom, plus other small random acts... 10. Go on a cruise 11. Complete 12 monthly flylady challenges (0/12) 12. Make a control journal 13. Send out Christmas cards 14. Plan a Christmas gift exchange for Jason's side of the family 15. Have a "sister night" with Veida and Shayda three times (1/3) 16. Learn to make homemade pie crust 17. Learn to make yeast rolls 18. Blog twice a week (19/104) 19. Make caramel apples 19. Get a pair of glasses 20. Go to a pumpkin patch (never had the money or had the money and not a kid to go with) 21. Shop on Black Friday it was just for hats and gloves for the parade of lights, but it was still shopping. 22. Start a new tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas (2/2) Thanksgiving - we went around the room and told everyone what we were thankful for, cheesy and ordinary maybe, new to us, yes. Christmas - we adopted a child from the angel tree at walmart and bough Christmas for them. This is something I NEED to do each and every year. 23. Have two date nights a month (5/12) 24. Activate and use Etsy Account 25. Raise $10,000 for church in fundraisers ($2,135/$10,000) 26. Seriously track fertility each month so I can have a child (8/12) 27. Plan a birthday party for Jason, Aaron and Alyssa (1/3) did not plan alyssas, tracy did 28. Make/eat breakfast at least 5 times a week (52/260) 29. Pray for 15 mins a day (10/365) 30. Make a weekly budget with Jason and stick to it (0/52) bolded is being worked on red is not going to happen strike out is finished

Thursday, March 17, 2011

One More Roll


This is called "one more roll"
This is my latest food obsession.
Once I like something I crave it till I am sick of it.
So far since this picture was taken, I have ordered it 3 more times to-go.
It is a Tempura shrimp, cream cheese and crab roll.
Be jealous.
It is delicious.
This is actually the only sushi I have tried and liked.
Because of lapband, seaweed paper is hard to digest, I get it with rice paper instead.
Rice paper costs an additional dollar, but it is soooo worth it.
I get this at Simply Asia here in Grand Prairie.
If you are in town, you should try it.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

My Sad Story of the Night

So I know I say it each and every time, but I am trying to "think" of blogging more often...maybe that will lead to more blogs (I guess it is the only way my poor friend Stephanie can keep up with me, since I have slacked on the facebook front as well.)
But tonight my heart is sad.
A blog-able moment....hopefully a "look back and laugh" moment.....but it all depends on how it ends.
(Side note, thank Jesus for 1 pint blue bell cookies and cream.....it is helping soothe me....guess I am an emotional eater.)

***WARNING**** The following has lots of talk about Overies and Periods and Uterus and stuff like that, if it grosses you out, skip this entire post.


So I have an Android phone..one of those neat phones that have "apps" that help you out with everyday things as well as has fun games and stuff. Well, I had an app called My Days. It is an ovulation calculator.
I put in the calander when my last period was, it will tell me when I should be fertile, as well as predicts my actual ovulaion date, and my next period date.
Cool Huh.
I thought so.

Back in September, I had a sonohystogram done of my uterus and overies. My doctor wanted to do this because of my family history of ovary issues, and my cancer...I have been trying to get pregnant with no luck...the doctor wanted to be 100% certain none of that was an issue.
Well it sort of was.
I am in beginning stages of PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) The doc said, ovaries look like a "chocolate chip cookie" with all the foliciles in there...but mine looked like it had extra chips in it, which indicates the development of cysts. None of them were big enough to cause concern, it was the amount that raised eyebrows.
My doctor told me to document EVERYTHING very well, and also lose 30 pounds. Then come back in March or April for a followup and then we will start talking about aggressive measures such as Clomid and other infertility drugs.
EEK!
I got right on it...I downloaded the App to get to documenting. And I had lapband to get the weight off quick.
Fast Forward from September to March 16th....5 months later, I have lost only 10 pounds (Blue Bell isn't helping) BUT I had well documented EVERYTHING.
Well today (as in March 16th) my husband asked me to give him my phone. He wanted to update it for me.
He did it.
Then laughed... "I earased all your stuff" I told him whatever I didn't believe him...he said it was just all the apps, so I didn't worry about it.
At church I noticed I started my period...or was spotting...or something weird. so after church, I went to redownload the app that was lost. Only to find out that it was set to "default" user, and didnt require an email, or any other way to save your information.
I. L.O.S.T. E.V.E.R.T.H.I.N.G
Now there is an option to email the data in list form, but when Jason took the phone today, I didn't think of the app, and what was at stake if it was gone....

But here is the saddest part.

I want a baby.

People all around me are having babies.
I even went to a fertility specialist....but thought as he was telling me my options, that with my documentation and what my regular doctor wants to do, I should be ok......
I cried the other night because I want babies.
I am getting tired of watching everyone elses babies and not having one of my own (but don't get me wrong I love all the babies I am watching)
I am about to be 31 in a few months.....Jason is about to 38.....

Now I have no data and right now at midnight, it feels like no hope.

anyways...thats my sad story of the day. take it for what it's worth.

30/30 March update

1. Lose "30" pounds. (10/30)
2. Get my diabetes under control (0/12
)
3. Visit my grandmother at least twice a month (7/24)
4. Read three books for leisure (0/3)
5. Complete three bible studies (0/3)
6. Complete 30 sewing projects (2/30)

7. Learn 3 new crafts (1/3) -we are refinishing my grandmothers old dresser, I have never sanded and stained anything in my life....
8. Complete 30 new scrapbook pages (0/30)
9. Do 30 random acts of kindness (30/30) - helped a family out for the whole month of September, and it looks as if it will continue on for months, also is continually helping a single teenage mom, plus other small random acts...
10. Go on a cruise
11. Complete 12 monthly flylady challenges (0/12)
12. Make a control journal
13. Send out Christmas cards
14. Plan a Christmas gift exchange for Jason's side of the family
15. Have a "sister night" with Veida and Shayda three times (1/3)
16. Learn to make homemade pie crust
17. Learn to make yeast rolls
18. Blog twice a week (19/104)
19. Make caramel apples
19. Get a pair of glasses
20. Go to a pumpkin patch (never had the money or had the money and not a kid to go with)
21. Shop on Black Friday
it was just for hats and gloves for the parade of lights, but it was still shopping.
22. Start a new tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas (2/2)
Thanksgiving - we went around the room and told everyone what we were thankful for, cheesy and ordinary maybe, new to us, yes. Christmas - we adopted a child from the angel tree at walmart and bough Christmas for them. This is something I NEED to do each and every year.
23. Have two date nights a month (3/12)
24. Activate and use Etsy Account
25. Raise $10,000 for church in fundraisers ($1,000/$10,000)
26. Seriously track fertility each month so I can have a child (7/12)
27. Plan a birthday party for Jason, Aaron and Alyssa (1/3)
did not plan alyssas, tracy did
28. Make/eat breakfast at least 5 times a week (52/260)
29. Pray for 15 mins a day (10/365)
30. Make a weekly budget with Jason and stick to it (0/52)


bolded is being worked on
red is not going to happen
strike out is finished

Friday, February 18, 2011

30 in 30 February update

1. Lose "30" pounds. (10/30)
2. Get my diabetes under control (0/12
)
3. Visit my grandmother at least twice a month (7/24)
4. Read three books for leisure (0/3)
5. Complete three bible studies (0/3)
6. Complete 30 sewing projects (2/30)

7. Learn 3 new crafts (1/3) -we are refinishing my grandmothers old dresser, I have never sanded and stained anything in my life....
8. Complete 30 new scrapbook pages (0/30)
9. Do 30 random acts of kindness (30/30) - helped a family out for the whole month of September, and it looks as if it will continue on for months, also is continually helping a single teenage mom, plus other small random acts...
10. Go on a cruise
11. Complete 12 monthly flylady challenges (0/12)
12. Make a control journal
13. Send out Christmas cards
14. Plan a Christmas gift exchange for Jason's side of the family
15. Have a "sister night" with Veida and Shayda three times (1/3)
16. Learn to make homemade pie crust
17. Learn to make yeast rolls
18. Blog twice a week (18/104)
19. Make caramel apples
19. Get a pair of glasses
20. Go to a pumpkin patch (never had the money or had the money and not a kid to go with)
21. Shop on Black Friday
it was just for hats and gloves for the parade of lights, but it was still shopping.
22. Start a new tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas (2/2)
Thanksgiving - we went around the room and told everyone what we were thankful for, cheesy and ordinary maybe, new to us, yes. Christmas - we adopted a child from the angel tree at walmart and bough Christmas for them. This is something I NEED to do each and every year.
23. Have two date nights a month (3/12)
24. Activate and use Etsy Account
25. Raise $10,000 for church in fundraisers ($600/$10,000)
26. Seriously track fertility each month so I can have a child (6/12)
27. Plan a birthday party for Jason, Aaron and Alyssa (1/3)
did not plan alyssas, tracy did
28. Make/eat breakfast at least 5 times a week (40/260)
29. Pray for 15 mins a day (10/365)
30. Make a weekly budget with Jason and stick to it (0/52)


bolded is being worked on
red is not going to happen
strike out is finished

Thursday, January 13, 2011

30 in 30 January Update

1. Lose "30" pounds. (10/30)
2. Get my diabetes under control (0/12
)
3. Visit my grandmother at least twice a month (7/24)
4. Read three books for leisure (0/3)
5. Complete three bible studies (0/3)
6. Complete 30 sewing projects (2/30)

7. Learn 3 new crafts (0/3)
8. Complete 30 new scrapbook pages (0/30)
9. Do 30 random acts of kindness (30/30) - helped a family out for the whole month of September, and it looks as if it will continue on for months, also is continually helping a single teenage mom, plus other small random acts...
10. Go on a cruise
11. Complete 12 monthly flylady challenges (0/12)
12. Make a control journal
13. Send out Christmas cards
14. Plan a Christmas gift exchange for Jason's side of the family
15. Have a "sister night" with Veida and Shayda three times (0/3)
16. Learn to make homemade pie crust
17. Learn to make yeast rolls
18. Blog twice a week (17/104)
19. Make caramel apples
19. Get a pair of glasses
20. Go to a pumpkin patch (never had the money or had the money and not a kid to go with)
21. Shop on Black Friday
it was just for hats and gloves for the parade of lights, but it was still shopping.
22. Start a new tradition for Thanksgiving and Christmas (2/2)
Thanksgiving - we went around the room and told everyone what we were thankful for, cheesy and ordinary maybe, new to us, yes. Christmas - we adopted a child from the angel tree at walmart and bough Christmas for them. This is something I NEED to do each and every year.
23. Have two date nights a month (3/12)
24. Activate and use Etsy Account
25. Raise $10,000 for church in fundraisers ($430/$10,000)
26. Seriously track fertility each month so I can have a child (5/12)
27. Plan a birthday party for Jason, Aaron and Alyssa (1/3)
28. Make/eat breakfast at least 5 times a week (30/260)
29. Pray for 15 mins a day (8/365)
30. Make a weekly budget with Jason and stick to it (0/52)


bolded is being worked on
red is not going to happen
strike out is finished

Sunday, January 2, 2011

2010 in review

January
Alyssa turned 9, she had her birthday party at a local skating rink. (Skating is a big thing this year; Pawpaw took the kids skating a lot)

February
I made cool sugar cookies for valentines. We went to Jason’s coworkers for the super bowl….I made more sugar cookies!!

March
We had TONS of Snow!!! Oh how wonderful it was! It was funny that the snow happened at the end of the month.
I sold my Mazda 626, it was a sad day!
I went to Ladies conference

April
My mother moved in with us. She was having a hiccup in life and needed support.

May
Jason went to Mens Conference and came back with a renewed spirit.

June
We had our first official family vacation. It was completely orchestrated by the Lord. He arranged for Jason’s co-worker to GIVE us his timeshare, and it was big enough to take Jason, me, Aaron, Alyssa, Tracy, Hershal, Dray, Julie, Shayla, Jasmine, and Ainsley. On top of the timeshare in Celebration Florida, my cousin Farid worked at Disney, and was able to get three people into Disney for free (each day we wanted to go) Farid also got us free parking at the parks, and he was a great tour guide. We bought two tickets off of craigslist, for super cheap, but then we found out it was military passes. You have to have a military id to use them. As soon as we walked into the park, I found someone from the military who was willing to help us redeem the tickets. The Lord is amazing and awesome.
We drove safely to and from Disney, and my husband who has never traveled, got to see the South.
We got to visit my cousin Reza, his wife Sandra and their two precious girls

July
My mom moved out, and life started returning to normal.

August
I turned 30! Eek.
4 days after my birthday, my little sister had her baby. My little nephew Nikolas Marine Dima was born. He is too precious.

September
Aaron turned 14 and we had a skating party for him as well.
A friend of Aaron’s stays with us a lot, as well as his little brother. We make sure they get to school on time. Their family lost their apartment, and needed help.

October
Our family started helping out a girl from church, she is a teenage mom who is trying to go to school. I watch her son in exchange she is to go to church anytime the doors are open, as well as make good grades and not get into trouble.

November
Jason and I celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary. And the day after the anniversary, we had the lapband surgery.
Thanksgiving was fun.
On Thanksgiving day, we went to our friends house. Corrine and Scott were getting married two days after Thanksgiving, and had some family in town and needed help with Thanksgiving Dinner. Our family dinner we hosted at our apartment on Friday, we had 20 plus people in our small two bedroom apt.
Friday after thanksgiving we took my Grandmother to downtown Fort Worth for the Christmas Lights parade.

December
We had a fabulous time this month. Lots of Christmas fun and we tried to develop new traditions.
We had a smaller Christmas dinner…and had my Grandma stay with us for a few days. I had a bad stomach bug a few days before Christmas….yuck.
We ushered in the New Year at church. Exactly at midnight I was praising and worshipping and thanking the Lord for another year.

Happy New Year!

This picture is absolutely hands down my favorite. My grandma is the best!

I will do a 2010 recap for you tomorrow. Yay for 2011!
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