Mmm...mama♥

Happy Birthday Aven.

2012-01-25T17:57:00.001-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SWEET AVEN JUNE!

A mother's love.

2012-01-23T19:30:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, my little Aven June will be turning 2. I'm still in shock over this whole thing. Like when did she grow up and become a toddler? It feels like its been maybe a year since I gave birth to her...when did the other year fly by? It's just so crazy to me. And then I think of all that has gone on in the last two years and I realize why I am always so tired. Seriously...I could fall asleep right now...mid sentence.

Aven is such an amazing little girl. She is hilarious, sweet, sassy, devilish, creative, beyond adorable, smart (almost too smart) and just such a little lover. She gives the best hugs, the sweetest kisses and her laugh is just enough to make you bust up laughing as well. That little girl can melt the heart of a complete stranger. Aven brightens even the darkest of days. Having been through this last year, I can honestly say that Aven has made me laugh and smile even when I thought nothing could put a smile on my face. She is my little rock. I can't even remember life before Aven. And when I really think about it, I don't think I was every truly living before Aven. I think you really start living when you get the chance to love someone with every little peice of your heart. I thank God everyday for giving me Aven. She is my every dream come true. For years before I got pregnant, I had dreams of a little girl who had blonde hair and blue eyes. And as I have watched Aven grow over the last two years, there is no doubt in my mind that she is the little girl I was dreaming of. She is the answer to my prayers and she gives me strength that I never knew I had. I love her with all my heart.

I love you Aven. Happy Birthday my little Jelly Bean.

Rain rain go away.

2012-01-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

Aven's birthday is next week! My little sweet pea will be 2! We are having her birthday party this week and she chose a Minnie Mouse Clubhouse theme. Luckily Party City had tons of Minnie Mouse stuff so we got lots of cute decorations. And I am making Minnie Mouse cupcakes! Pictures to come.

Well it is finally raining in California. I guess its a good thing...if we don't have any rain, there will be no lakes this summer which means no boating. But I still HATE rain and cold weather all together. I don't mind a good summer rainstorm...but nothing is worse to me than cold, wet weather.

Pinterest has a way of making me wish it was summer NOW! All the cute clothes, summer cocktails recipes. It all just makes me wants to skip on down to May and get summer started. So once again...here are my latest finds.

I love this dress. So cute and it looks comfy too.

This is still a cold weather look...but still...super cute and easy.

Awww...this is what I love. I love the yellow...and yes you guessed it...look at those boots!

These are just some crafty ideas I found...

Pretty sure there is like 5 old rakes in the garage. Paint it cute...and tada! Perfect for jewelry.

I love these papers...you can find them anywhere and they come in every color and pattern. Perfect for brightening up a wall or mantle.

And then a few "words to live by" ideas...

I'm a planner and the hardest thing that I am having to learn how to do is let go of my "planning" and let God take over. I have to trust that his plan is better than any plan I have for myself.

Lately...everything has been a "day by day" thing. I'm learning to allow things to get better day by day...but in the end I do hope my story means the world to someone else.

I just love this one...had to post it again.

OF COURSE!

Have a good weekend! Xoxo.

A little romance...

2012-01-17T19:15:00.000-08:00

Maybe its because there is no romance in my current life, but lately I am finding the most romantic ideas on Pinterest. Seriously...way to rub it in Pinterest.

Outdoor wedding.

I love this song and I think it just shows how every couple is something special. A husband is something special for his wife and she is something special to him. So sweet.

I love mason jars...and I love candles. Love these!

This might be very romantic but its sweet. I'm the girl who is always there for everyone...I listen, I give advice, I'm always there for a lot of people. But sometimes when I need someone...I find myself all alone.

This little letter really got to me. I know that God has a special person picked out for each of us...but instead of racing to find that person and accidentally picking the wrong one, I think we (me) need to sit back and wait for God to reveal to us the perfect person that he has created for us. How romantic is that?

Once again...I love candles and I have HUNDREDS of wine corks. Perfect.

I would die for this kitchen...its as simple as that.

I love all the layers and different materials in this dress. So beautiful.

Ain't that the truth?

Is it possible? A somewhat romantic laundry room? I think so.

This is my favorite.

Ok enough with the romance. Here are some of my favorite looks for the week...

Aven would look so cute in this outfit!

I love it all. The boots, the jeans, the jewelry, everything!

Note to self...get another job to pay for obsession with cowgirl boots.

Have a happy week! Xoxo!

Playing catch up & more Pinterest.

2012-01-12T17:56:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to 2012. Hopefully you had a wonderul holiday season! We sure did but I was so happy to be done with all of it. I swear...having kids just adds pressure to the holiday. This season I didn't even do my Christmas shopping until like the week before and that's extremely uncommon for me. I don't know what it was about the holidays this year...but I was always behind and just kept thinking "holy cow, I need another week to get ready." And food. Holy canolli...all we did was buy food and bake and cook and bake and cook some more. We did Thanksgiving at our house which was fun but chaotic. We went elsewhere for Christmas Eve, but still had to make all kinds of food to take with us. Then we had our traditional crab feed for Christmas day dinner. Then we had a little New Year's Even party at our house and I made chili. So yes, our holidays were filled with food. For the first week or so after New Years...nothing even sounded good to eat. I felt like I had eaten so much within the last month or so. I'm getting my taste buds back now...but please don't make me eat any more cookies or peppermint bark...at least until next December!

As for any resolutions...I've decided to eat a little better and be a little more active. I've always been a pretty healthy eater. I do love to endulge every once in a while but I mostly eat chicken, fish, whole wheat pastas, vegetables, etc. I do need to be eating a better breakfast though so I'm working on that. I've always been athletic and I've always liked being outstide and staying active. I have trying to spend a little more time working out at night and taking more walks with Aven! This way I get a little time to myself when I work out at the gym and then I get more quality time with Aven when we go on walks! I refuse to give up anything. I believe in moderation. I'm a woman with curves and I don't plan on ever losing them. I don't believe in spending more than like four hours in a gym per week. And I would still rather spend those four hours at the park chasing Aven. I just believe that life is meant to be enjoyed and I enjoy food. I could never be on some crazy diet...I would want to shoot someone. I would honestly rather have an extra 5 lbs and be happy then be skinnier and miserable. I think the key is to know what your "happy weight" is. I know mine and I know what weight looks good on me. For some women, 130 lbs looks great! For me, I can't go much below 135 or I start to look too skinny. I start to look frail up top and its not cute. But I also know what my "unhappy weight" is. So if you don't yet know you "happy" and "unhappy" weight...try and figure it out. It helps me because if for whatever reason I start to get close to my unhappy weight, then I know its time to cut back on a few things and be a little more active!

So there ya go...my resolutions are simple. Be healthy, be active, be happy and enjoy life.

Here are some more of my new favorite finds on Pinterest...

I have these jeans and I love them! I also love the yellow!

I am one of those lucky girls with super thick hair! But I love her color in this pic too!

I love turquoise and gray!

So classy.

Hello summer time!

Is it summer yet?

Such an easy and comfy look!

I would skip the shoes that are in this picture and throw on some cute cowgirl boots...of course!

Well I hope you are enjoying the new year! Xoxo!

Last post of 2011.

2011-12-31T11:48:00.000-08:00

I'm very happy that it's New Years. This year has been the hardest year of my life. But I know that this last year had to happen so that the upcoming years can be better. I've learned so much. I've become so much stronger and have come out with a very positive outlook on life and love. I read an article the other day that featured Jennifer Lopez as the "woman of the year." She deserves it...she's had one hell of a year and she's managed to come out having learned so much and looking fabulous! She explained that you have to learn to love yourself before you can truly love another. We have to learn to stand on our own two feet...alone. And she is totally right! This last year I got to spend a few months just learning who I was. I had gotten lost in the shuffle and forgot all about me. Now I know more than ever how important I am...and making myself a priority allows me to be a better mom, friend, daughter, sister etc. So this year I am going to celebrate being me. I'm going to celebrate the beautiful little girl that I have. I'm going to celebrate the wonderful family and friends that are in my life. I am going to celebrate love because I know it exsists. I am going to smile, eat, drink and be...happy. Oh and I'm going to work out too because that's important!

Happy New Year to you.

Xoxo.

A little side note. Thank you to each and every person who has helped me through this year. The late night phone calls, or early morning ones. The second quessing, the questions, the advice. Everything. I have such a wonderful family and such amazing friends. Thank you.

Pinterest & cowgirl boots.

2011-12-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

I love cowgirl boots. I also love Pinterest. So you can only imagine how excited I was when I found tons of cute cowgirl boots on Pinterest. I was just in awe and literally just kept adding them to my list of things I need to put on this year's birthday, mother's day and Christmas lists. I just love finding whole outfit ideas on Pinterest...its my fav. I usually have things in my closet that match what is in the picture! So after I see the picture and repin it, I go right to my closet and find what I need to make the perfect Pinterest outfit. I can no longer take credit for dressing myself...all my creds go to Pinterest. Here are my finds...

So simple. White long sleeve and jeans. Cute sweater, some cute boots and a super trendy bag! Amen.

I love this because its so sexy. Like what guy wouldn't just drop dead after seeing his lady in this?

I love the turquoise!

I've been looking for a tall pair of boots to wear with dresses! These are perrrrfect!

Just love the details!

OMG I'M IN LOVE.

These are just plain fun.

Now all I need is a cute cowboy to buy them for me.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

The official countdown is on...three days until Christmas. And I have been running around like a crazy person the last few days trying to finish up my shopping, do some major house cleaning and gift wrapping. But every night on my way home I pass a small church and out front is a sign that always has a bible verse on it. For the last few weeks the sign has read "God so loved the world, that he gave us his only son." It is when I pass this little church that I remember what Christmas is really all about. But then the next day comes and I get lost in the shuffle of buying gifts all over again. I didn't grow up in a Christian home so we never really talked about the birth of Jesus or the true meaning of Christmas. My parents did more of the Santa thing...the north pole, reindeer, etc. And I love that! I think Santa is so fun...it teaches children to believe in something. But so many people forget that Santa is not the only star in the Christmas show! Christmas only began because of the birth of Jesus. God gave the people a gift that would change their lives and eventually change the lives of people still to this day! That is the true gift we should be celebrating on Christmas. I admit...I get lost in the idea of finding the perfect gift for people. And now that I'm a mom...holy canolli...its hard not to get carried away buying crazy amounts of presents for a child who has enough toys to fill an entire basement! I don't want Aven growing up thinking that Christmas is all about toys and getting everything on her Christmas list. I want her to believe in Santa and appreciate all the nice things that he gives her...but also to know that Christmas is a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who is our savior.

I think helping those less fortunate is such a great thing to get in the habit of doing, but especially during Christmas time! For the last two years we have done the "adopt a family" program through our church. It's such a good feeling to help buy presents for a family who has close to nothing! But what is so heartbreaking about the experience is that the presents these families are asking for are things we take for granted every day...like socks, basic clothing, blankets, pots and pans etc. I think adopting a family will be a tradition of our's for years to come. Helping others gets me into the Christmas spirit big time!

So as we continue on with our Christmas countdown...take just a second to remember why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Yes...Santa is wonderful! But the birth of our savior is so much more special.

Merry Christmas!

Resolutions.

2011-12-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again...the new year is around the corner. And that means its time for some resolutions!Some people hate resolutions...and I understand why. For most people its a promise they make to themselves and then they end up breaking it. Then the next year comes around and we all say "Oh crap I was supposed to be in amazing shape by now." I think resolutions are a good thing and I think they can be serious or silly. I think having some resolutions are a good way to just kind of get you thinking of how you can improve in the upcoming year. There is always room for improvement in your life. You can choose to go to the gym more, maybe make date nights with your hubby a more regular thing, attend church more often. But also remember that these don't have to be life or death promises to yourself. Don't beat yourself up at the end of the year if you don't have a six pack or you didn't read the entire bible. You are trying to better yourself...not become the image of perfection. Here are a few resolutions that I have been pondering...

1. I really need to stop Facebooking while I drive. Yes its true. I'm a horrible person. I don't like write messages on people's walls while I'm driving down the freeway (ok maybe sometimes.) But if I'm a stoplight...I have been known to take a peek at what's going on in the Facebook world. I also need to stop texting and emailing while I drive. Sometimes a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. Some emails are urgent. But still...there is no excuse for it and I have to stop.

2. I love taking pictures. But I'm not very good and printing them and putting them into albums. I have pictures from summer of 2008 that I still need to print out. So in 2012 I am going to catch up on all the pictures I have taken in the last few years. I'm going to print the ones I want and get them into some nice photo albums so that I can have them as memories for the years to come!

3. I love to cook and this year I am going to make it a huge priority to be cooking much more and trying new things. I've always wanted to make a chocolate souffle. Cooking a souffle is not easy though...its all about perfect timing and perfect ingredients. But this year I want to learn and master the art of baking a chocolate souffle!

I'm not going to write it down as a resolution but this year I just want to focus on the blessings that I have in my life. This last year has been hard. It's been hard, sad, full of ups and downs and just all around unpleasant. I know that everyone has times like this and I am thankful that I had this year to learn what I needed to and become who I wanted to. But its time now to put everything to the test and really enjoy the years to come. So this year for me is going to be all about family and friends, great food, safe driving, pictures and blessings. Sounds like a good year to me!

Pinterest.

2011-12-15T18:53:00.000-08:00

Unless you have been living under a rock...I am sure you have heard of Pinterest. I heard of it not long ago when my mom's friend Lisa said she was literally waking up in the middle of the night and getting on Pinterest and getting all kinds of adorable ideas. Then my Mamo (grandma) told me about it and said she was getting all sorts of cute ideas too! But I actually just got on it about a week ago after a friend of mine sent me the invite. Holy cannoli...I'm in love. The only problem is that I start thinking too much and then I can't shut my brain off. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night (just like Lisa) thinking of things I could create. I'm not a super crafty person. Like I would much rather go to HomeGoods and buy home decor rather than go to Michael's and make home decor. But Pinterest has given me even some simple ideas for cute little things that make a room pop! I love all the little kid stuff too! And the clothes! Ahh I love it all. So here are a few of my favorite things...

I love these jeans! I love the whole look. So simple. So cute!

Once again...love the jeans.

I love lace and I love cowgirl boots!

Such simple ideas to make little girl clothes just adorable!

I loved my infant sling but it just didn't fit right. This would work much better and be a lot cuter because you can choose your own fabric!

I love caprese salad. And these are just so cute and they look delish!

This is such a combination of things...but look how beautiful they are!

So if you haven't checked out Pinterest yet...do it now! Tons of amazing ideas for everything you can think of! I'll keep posting my favorites too!

Christmas.

2011-12-13T19:06:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time (in case you didn't know). I love each season for different reasons...(except spring, I don't really like spring at all.) I love summer because its warm and the sun is shining. I love warm summer nights and being out on the lake or in a backyard having a bbq. I love fall because I love the colors, I love wearing jeans and sweaters, boots and leggings. I love scarves, hats, mittens etc. And then comes the holidays! I think fall is my favorite...but the month of December is just wonderful. Christmas to me is magic. I think anything and everything is possible at Christmas time. So far the month of December is not disappointing me. At a time when I felt I would probably sleep with Aven for the rest of my life, she has finally started sleeping in her own bed. And before she caught a nasty cold, she was sleeping mostly through the night. She would fall asleep around 9:00 and wake up around 6:30. Aven has also started using the toilet! All on her own too...I was not starting to train her in any way. She does a potty dance now or holds her butt and says "poooop." Some might not consider these to be miracles...but because it's December...I have to believe these are Christmas miracles.

There have been other things that I would consider miracles too...but I won't share them because they are not my miracles to share just yet. But just know that anything is possible during this wonderful time of the year. You don't have to believe in Santa...just believing in the warmth and spirit of Christmas is such an amazing thing.

Merry Christmas!

Always follow your heart ♥

2011-12-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Can you tell that I love hearts? They are one of my favorite things for many reasons...our heart keeps us alive, helps us make decisions, allows us to love and be loved in return. Without it, we would be dead. Literally. I've always been a thinker...99% of the time I make decisions using my brain. Following my heart has always seemed silly and childish. I analyze things to death. I've always thought of everyone else before myself. And guess what? It failed me. My brain failed me. I don't regret anything in my life but this...I wish I would have followed my heart.

But that was then...this is now and I've learned my lesson. My heart now leads me. So welcome to the blog about following your heart. Being in love with life. Enjoying delicious food. Loving yourself, your family and your friends. Being kind to one another and truly being...happy.

Xoxo