Happy New Year 2015!

Goodbye 2014! 

Hello New Year!  Thank you Rhonna Designs App for allowing me to be creative and make pretty stuff!

Ringing in 2015 Pappasitos style with the family!  The two hour wait with my parents was worth it always!

 

 Brody always gets picked by the Mariachi men!

 

New Years Day was a well-deserved lazy day.  We spent it watching football and staying in pajamas!

 It was COLD, cozy, and rainy all day long!  I couldn't help but stare at all the lights!  I'm in NO rush to take down Christmas!  I probably won't start for another week!  Maybe it will all be down by February!

Summer on a Whim

Some of the funnest summer days aren't planned, they just happen!

our day brought:

a cancelled yoga class due to a leaky rain-soaked ceiling :-((
a call from an old college friend
finished first book of summer, I couldn't put it down - Shattered (Belinda Temple and her baby Erin will be on my mind for days)!
a text from a sweet friend wanting a coffee date at starbucks
old town spring
reading the historical marker for our little city for the first time (ten historical markers are on our summer to-do list)
refreshing blue snow cone, gone in minutes
quaint shops
no schedule
a glimpse of Cleveland Indians baseball on a bench under a big tree, thank you MLB app
quiet time to cook dinner while kids played with friends
major mosquitos

I love summer!

Happy New Year 2014

2014, it's a new year and a fresh, clean start!  Cheers to new goals, a re{new}ed marriage, new days, new friendships, new memories, new possibilities, new projects, new reasons to smile, new chances, and new doors to open!   I'm excited to see what 2014 brings!  Happy New Year!

2013 Chalkboard Art Printable

I'm so obsessed lately with all things chalkboard, and chalkboard art.  I have a Pinterest board dedicated to my love of chalkboards.  Soooo, I couldn't resist, and made my own little 2013 printable.  It's full of inspiration for the new year ahead!  Happy New Year's Day!

Happy New Year!

It's hard to believe another year is coming to a close!  I'm excited for new experiences with my family, possibilities, the journey ahead, my first full year being 40, things I'm going to learn, and things I'm going to create!!  I'm excited about my photography!  I'm excited that I will be learning to say NO!  I don't like to make resolutions, since it's hard for me to keep them.  I like to make goals instead. 

In 2013, I want to devote my full attention to my kids, and spend less time on orders.  I have been thinking long and hard in deciding whether to give up my little girly business.  That, I must decide on.  I love creating, and love the colors, the sparkles, the glitter, the glue, the excitement of making pretties for other people.  But, my customers will never know the sacrifices that my kids have made so I can get their orders to them. The trips to Hobby Lobby, Michael's, the shipping store several times a week after school, the late nights, the movie nights that I have missed so I can meet deadlines, the times when I'm not all there when they talk to me, and the mess in my kitchen where I work.   This stay-at-home mom enjoys a little extra money, but it really isn't worth it all knowing how much time I miss with them!!  I'm ready to do pretties again for my own girly and me!!  We're always last.

I want to date my honey again, once a month, at least!  Also, I want to spend more time with my parents.  Life gets crazy with all our weekly activities with the kids, then sports on the weekends, and birthday parties.  I want to make them a priority too!  We recently saw Parental Guidance and it tugged at my heartstrings when Billy Crystal's character mentioned to his daughter that she went away to college and stopped coming home, then she got married and came home even less, then had her own family and never came home.  It made me sad!  I want to be sure to make it a point to drive 15 minutes to go bring them dinner and spend more time with them. 

I also am pumped about diving into Photoshop, and can't wait to play around with my
Oh So Posh Photography actions that my mom and sister gifted me for Christmas.  I plan on making photo books instead of keeping all my thousands of pictures on my laptop.  There are so many home projects I want to do, but better take advantage before baseball season starts.  And, I'm planning on random acts of kindness more often. 

It's time to start with a fresh, clean slate!  Good bye 2012!  I'm looking forward to a brand new year!  Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!!!  Hello 2013!

Yay!! I just finished our Christmas card for this year!   I haven't done cards for three years, so I'm a little excited. Yes, I waited too long again, so my friends and family probably won't get them until after Christmas. These are just shots from my cell phone. I waited too long to get the photographer's pics. There's always next year!!

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

Forty Things

 

 

Today has finally arrived!  The day I turned 40 years old!!!  Time really flies when I think that Tim and I have been together since we were 18!!

In honor of turning 40, these are 40 things about me!

1.  I was born on 11-20 at 11:20am, my mom calls me every year at my actual birth time, I love that!

2.  My favorite time of year is fall when we can all be outside again after being stuck in air conditioning all summer long.

3.  I'm addicted to glitter, my glue gun, ribbons, and paper pretties!  I love to craft, if only I had more time!

4.  I'm so blessed to have wonderful, caring parents who have been married 45 years and have taught me values, lessons, and compassion.

5.  I am such a baby, and cry so easily at everything!  Commercials, movies, babies, I should just keep a tissue in my hands all the times!!

6.  My nose knows, I have a strong detection of scents and  I secretly love the smell of skunks!  Except, at night if the windows are open if it's cold out!

7.  I'm obsessed with Christmas decorating...there has to be a tree in every room (except bathrooms).  I have two up so far and have six more to go!

8.  My favorite color is hot pink.

9.  I have names for my big left and right toes.  For some reason Latreca always gets kicked, Rhonda seems to do ok, except her baby toe sister that I kicked on the bathtub by accident recently and has left me limping lately!

10.  My favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13.

11.  I love to clean, always have!  Almost obsessed, have to have it clean before I can enjoy anything I really want to do.  I guess that's why I never get anything done, like blog!!

12.  I cannot live without Sonic's Strawberry Limeades.

13.  Or, Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbuck's

14.  Or, sweet tea from McCallister's Deli, or any tea for that matter.

15.  I love to grocery shop!!  Most people can't stand it.  I love to look at all the possibililities and take my time strolling along.  The sights and smells and samples are the best.  I am an HEB snob!

16.  I would love to live in the country on tons of land, in a cute little house with a front porch, a picket fence, old wood floors, and tons of antiques, and a sky full of stars!

17.  I am an introvert and need my quiet time or I go cray cray!  Taken from a fellow Instagrammer (ani_rdz), "Quiet people have the loudest minds!"  Sometimes my quietness has come off as snobbiness, which is furthest from the truth, and I can't stand that!

18.   I LOVE to cook and bake.  That is my time to unwind and chill out, it's so relaxing to me!  I love to throw in my favorite jazz music - Chris Botti and Peter White and an occasional glass of wine.

19.  Photography is my passion.  I'm known to have my camera or iPhone whipped out in a flash!  Now, if I could only figure out what to do with all my pictures!  I wish I had an iPhone when my babies were little!

20.  I love to snuggle with my babies under soft, warm blankets.  It's the best feeling ever!

21.  My favorite singers are Carrie Underwood, and John Mayer (that voice)!

22.  I'm a soupie.  I could eat soup all day, every day.  I make a mean tortilla soup!

23.  I miss the fact that I never grew up knowing a grandpa.  One died before I was born, and the other when I was ten.  He lived in another state and I have no memories of him.  When I see little old guys at Walmart or war veterans, it makes me want to adopt them.  It hurts my heart!

24.  I love small towns and unique shops and restaurants!  I would much rather spend money there rather than chains!

25.  My favorite candle is pumpkin spice!  Mmm!

26.  I am a Real Housewives junkie - Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Miami, New Jersey, New York, Orange County.  I have to have complete silence when I watch, no kids allowed, so I can hear every bit of juiciness!!

27.  I once had someone tell me I smiled too much!  That didn't bring me down, that comment makes me smile 10X more today!!!

28.  I am crazy for leopard print!    Seriously!

29.  I started watching The Young and the Restless when I was in 6th grade, and still watch to this day!  Thank goodness for VCR's and DVR!!!

30.  I'm weird about numbers and think things are meant to be - our address is 20919 - my birthday is the 20th, our anniversary is the 9th, and the day Tim and I started dating was March 19th.  All of our birth years equals 72, 7+2=9 (our anniversary), the kids birth years equals 12, 1+2=3 kids.  My birthday and Tim's birthday equals 23, 2+3=5 members in our family!  Call me a dork, is it a coincidence all our numbers are aligned?!

31.  I HATE, I LOATHE emptying the dishwasher!!  So glad that I can toss that chore off to the kids!

32.  My favorite movies are Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Home Alone, I can almost do those line for line!

33.  I dream to go to Paris one day!!  I want to pig out on French pastries, drink coffee, look at antiques, strolling the streets with my love arm-in-arm observing all the sights and sounds!  Oh, and kiss under the Eiffel Tower.

34.  I had a horrible experience getting four teeth pulled for braces, I felt EVERY bit of the pain as my teeth were yanked.  The dentist called me a baby as I kicked my legs and cried. This is when parents weren't really welcome to go back in the room.   I hate dentists to this day and rest assured, that WILL NOT happen to my kids!!

35.  I'm not much of a drinker.  White wine gives me the worst headache, although I love it so much!  My drink of choice every now and then is a margarita on the rocks, with salt, of course! 

36.  I feel there are no coincidences in life, God has placed people in my life at the most perfect time!

37.  I'm a history buff, I'm not good with dates though.  But, I'm so fascinated at things that have taken place.  One of my favorite series that I still need to finish on NetFlix is called America, The Story of Us! 

38.  My sister Stephanie is my best friend.  We get each other, I love being able to lean on her.  I love you, Steph!

39.  I'm so glad I granted forgiveness to my mother-in-law, Barbara.  She chose to not be very involved in my kids' young lives because she was envious of me that her son married me.  She caused me many tears and much heartache.  I could never understand what my kids did to her.  There were no baking days, no shopping trips, no trips to the store, or even lunch or dinner with them, or trips to the playground.  They lived five minutes away.  She was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2009 and eventually lost her battle on October 22, 2011.  During those years, she tried her hardest to be the grandma that she hadn't been for years.  I give her credit for that.  Although the hurt never will go away, it gets easier.  It was her loss. I was the same person and never changed.  She just never got to know the real me.  There has not been a day go by that I don't think of her.  I'm sad that my husband does not have a mother.  I'm sad that my kids have one less grandparent.  Thank you Jesus for giving me the strength to forgive her.

40.  Creme brulee is my favorite dessert, and I plan on having it tonight at my birthday dinner at my most favorite restaurant, Jaspers!

 

Hello 40!!