Sunshine & Pickles

Happy Mother's Day...

2012-05-13T08:10:00.003-07:00

It was like a swift kick to the face.

The moment I gave birth to my daughter I realized what it meant to be a mother. The instant feeling of knowing I would fight off a hungry grizzly bear with my own bare hands to protect this child. I would give her guidance, support and unconditional love for the rest of my days. She would always be my "baby" and there was nothing that could change that. She was my pride and my joy!! (Still is)

That moment also made me love my own mom even more. I now shared something special with her and that was the grand title of "Mom". She too had felt the same thing I was feeling at that time. She had given me tons of guidance, more support than a handful of people combined & she loved me unconditionally. She gave her all to my brother and I, and I still have times when I think back and thank my lucky stars for the mom I was given. She is an incredible lady! As I get older and I watch my child grow I learn more and more about being a good parent and I often think to myself, "What would mom do?" We don't agree on everything, in fact I'm sure there's lots she shakes her head at. But as a great mom she lets me be me, and she's there for me no matter what. She will always be such a huge part of my life, and she has moved from amazing mom/mother-in-law to a spectacular grandma!

Tony, Alyssa & I are very, very grateful for her and all she does for our wacky family. We would not be the group we are today without her.

So, MOM, we love you from the bottom of our hearts. We thank you for always sticking by our side through thick and thin, and even though we are not together this Mother's Day we hope you have a fabulous day! You deserve it!!

LOVE YOU!!!!

My oh my....

2012-04-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

I have bad habits.

You know, like writing in a blog (that I love) once a month.

I have two trillion things going on & it makes me want to flush my phone, hammer my computer & become a gypsy. Ha ha!

The warm weather has arrived here in Texas & I am thrilled. Let me tell you, summer is by far my favorite time of the year. If I could get away with no sleeves & no shoes 365 days a year I would. I am always freezing, so warm weather to me is over 85-90...not 70. Hoping & praying for tons of time on the water this summer & days of soaking up sun.

Good-bye pasty legs, hello tan!!!

Next month Alyssa gets out of school. I'd like to officially name this year the fastest ever of all time! My sweet baby girl will soon be walking through the front door of middle school. Aye curumba! I am so incredibly proud of all she has accomplished this year. We purposely moved during her 5th grade year to allow an entire year to adjust & settle in to her new environment before going to middle school. I know it's such an awkward time & I thought for sure it would be an adjustment period. Nope, not the case. She has handled this entire move like a champ & she fell in love with her new home almost immediately. I can not wait to see what kind of adventure we're in for next year, but I'm not going to lie...seeing her grow up is painful.

I feel like I am working a lot. Too bad my paychecks don't seem to reflect the same. ((sigh)) I am trying my best to follow the saying, "Work smarter, not harder." That means setting up a strict schedule for when I get things done. I learned that if you tell someone you can work whenever they will send you work at all times of the day. Time to pull in the reigns & get a better hold on my time. I have big plans for this summer & that means now is the time to buckle down & focus. Besides always having something going on I am truly enjoying my work. I love being at home a few days, I love getting out of the house & having adult interaction some days & I have put a whole lotta into my Scentsy biz lately. There's all kinds of new and exciting things going on within the company & it just seems to get better and better. It feels good. I have a few huge shows coming up, and I'm really looking forward to building & branching out. And did I mention they're at a baseball stadium?!?! SCORE!!

It seems as though the warm weather has brought a ton of events our way, so I have no doubt it will be a very busy few months for the family. Before we know it, it'll be Christmas! : )

SXSW Part Two...

2012-03-25T09:17:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, I started this post on the same day as my Part 1.

Then Monday hit.

Seems as though the weeks just fly by and I find myself struggling to keep up with all the little things I'd really like to do.

So, here is my part two recap of our first SXSW.

We got free tickets to the SleighBells and NAS show last Saturday. The friends who gave us the tickets are big SleighBells fans, but didn't really know of NAS. We were familiar with NAS, but had never listened to SleighBells.

We knew there was a good time to be had, and we were so thrilled just to be a part of it.

With it being St. Patrick's Day, the streets were filled with not only SXSW fans, but party people decked out in all green.

This is a beer trolley that goes all around downtown. You grab 12 (or so) of your closest drinking pals & pedal your way through the streets. The company provides the trolley & a sober Captain, you supply the booze, the pedal power & the good times.

My favorite part was watching people get off the trolley. I was laughing so hard when I saw this pic Tony took. As you can see the girl is concentrating very hard no to fall. Why? Oh, cause the girl before her ate it!

We made our way to the venue after a quick stop for a drink at the W hotel. I totally felt like an outcast. I had no green & rocked my bright pink instead. (The town was COVERED in green)

I was so excited to just walk around & soak up the entire ACL-Live atmosphere. So many fabulous people had performed here & I loved all the pictures lining the hallways.

Our passes got us in to anywhere within the venue, so we watched the show from all three levels.

Stop #1...the floor. About 10 people from the stage. We watched most of the SleighBells show from here & it was great! They have so much energy & the fans were awesome. A group I'd definitely see again in the future.

This was our Mezzanine level view. (#2)

Security was no joke getting into this level. Tony & I were walking inches apart from each other & Tony made it through the door & I got a big fat hand in my face, followed my a door closed right in front of me. It was actually quite hilarious cause Tony was on the other side of the glass door looking all confused. All I could do was laugh. I think this was my favorite level.

The came NAS...

Ok, so the crowd was completely different between the two shows. I'm not sure anyone was sitting when NAS hit the stage & there were clouds of smoke everywhere. (A few during SleighBells, but not nearly as many as show #2) The crowd was loud, dancing & so fun to watch. Both shows were great, and the whole night was awesome...especially for our first time.

Someone in our group asked if he could take a picture of Tony & I under the Johnny Cash photo & who am I t turn down a picture?!?!

It was such a fun night & we were incredibly thankful for the tickets. One day & we realized we're hooked. Next year there will be much more planning and more involvement with the SXSW week. (I'll start saving now)

It was just another layer of icing on the Austin cake!

Good times indeed!

*All pictures were on my cell, which apparently kinda sucks.

Our SXSW day trip...

2012-03-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

It's the end of South By South West (SXSW) here in Austin & I knew we had to get in on the festivities. I'm not completely sure how this whole thing works, but here is my best (quickest) sum up of the events. It's is mainly an industry event. Like 9ish days of interactive, film and music shenanigans. A whole lotta producers, talent scouts, big wigs checking out all that is new and upcoming. The city fills with celebrities & its madness for over a week. By madness, I mean awesomesauce. To get into these events you have the option of wristbands...I've heard they run a couple hundred dollars, a badge ...I've heard runs a couple thousand dollars, or you can participate in tons of free events going on day or night. Pretty much all the big bars, restaurants, and venues have things events going on.

Ok, so now you are caught up to speed.

We decide to head downtown on Saturday morning for a family day out soaking in the free shows. We knew traffic would be intense, so we got the brilliant idea to hop on the Metro.

There's a station about 90 seconds from our house, so it was perfect.

I was so excited to get my camera out and about again. It feels like I just don't do it as much as I used to, but I'm working on it.

Then again, my child is going through a "let's make the most ridiculous face possible when mom gets out the camera" phase, so maybe that has something to do with it. But, please take notice of the amazing tattoo sleeves Mr. Stranger is wearing in the background. That little snippet does no justice for the front view of this creature.

We start walking around downtown & I am pretty much in love right away. Music posters, movie advertisements, just all kinds of media everywhere. We hit the red carpet & attempt to make our way down to the park for some live music. Chevy was doing a great program called "Grab a Chevy" which was basically free "cab" service in these brand new Chevy's. The people working were super nice & it got us all around town for the day. And they weren't even allowed to take tips. Great for us, but hopefully Chevy took good care of them cause they were AWESOME!

We made it to the park, saw Howie Mandel riding a longhorn (no big deal) and jammed to some kid friendly music. We found out America's Got Talent was filming & the whole crew was out & about nearby. This was an incredibly family friendly event & it was so nice to let Alyssa run around, play with the other kids & not have to worry about the crazies.

Massive Longhorn just cruising after Howie jumped off.

No outdoor event would be complete without a big fat margarita.

(Such a rip off every single time, yet I never seem to learn this.)

This would be Big Don rapping about manners, reaching for you dreams & the zoo. I had to laugh at one point cause I was seriously rocking out & dancing along. Ahhh ha ha ha!

So, the day was fun. We weren't really sure what we were getting into, but we knew we wanted to be a part of it. After walking around & soaking it all in I decided next year I will be on top of it! I need to research the schedule & make it to as many events as possible. You know, like the question & answer sit down with Seth McFarland. (Sorry Tony for totally missing this event with your favorite creative genius!)

After a few hours of being downtown we met up with some friends. We already knew we had enjoyed the day and any more fun would just be bonus. That when our conversation went a little something like this,

Friend of mine: "Any plans tonight?"

Me: "No, nothing really. We'd like to go out with it being St. Patrick's Day, but no sitter & no real plan."

Friend: "Well, I have good news. We won tickets to one of the biggest events tonight & I have no sitter, so I'll be at home & you & Tony have tickets. Oh, and Alyssa can hang out with me."

Say what?!?!?!

Not exactly the way I saw my day going, but I was THRILLED!!!!

Stay tuned.......

Spring Break 2012

2012-03-16T06:40:00.000-07:00

It's been YEARS since I actually got to say I was on spring break. By years, I mean high school...the early years. I have enjoyed this week so very much, it kind of makes me sad to see it end. Not because I have to go back to work, but just because of the time I got to spend with the nugget. She truly amazes me each and every day. She is becoming so grown, and so mature and the things we do and talk about are just so different from even a year ago. I will be forever grateful for this crazy week we got to spend together. Here's a glimpse at what we did....

Approximately 5 loads of laundry. WTH?!?!

We are a family of three, not 10. I can not figure out how we manage to get so much laundry piled up. Surely it couldn't be because the nuggets laundry basket consists of half dirty & half folded, fresh out of the dryer clothes. Or the fact that our well behaved dog decided to hop on her bed and take a leak. Seriously?? WHO does that! At least I was home to catch up on it all. (with about 2 more to do today)

Vacuumed 5 times. ((sigh))

Between my hair & the ever shedding dogs of ours I think I could run a vacuum cleaner 24/7 and still never catch up. So much in fact that we have a history of going through vacuum cleaners like it's nobody's business. Which of course leads me to...another bites the dust this week. Poor poor dirt suckers. They just can't hang.

Took The Dude on several tours around the house. Mini bus, skateboard, hot wheels...you name it!

Ate nachos for dinner TWICE!

A girl after my own heart. My daughter will each nachos any time, any where. Love her!! Don't you worry, I throw some veggies on those puppies in an attempt to be a good mom. I figured spring break was the perfect time for not one, but two lovely meals prepared by yours truly.

I accepted a new job.

That's what normal people do on a break, right? I went full circle with this opportunity. Pure excitement, high hopes, doubt, nervousness, pity party that consisted of thoughts like "Why couldn't I be one of those normal people who has a 'career'?", what am I getting myself into, ok this is going to be good, back to excitement, signed on the dotted line...I'm in.

I'll be working as an Account Manager for a medical consulting firm & I will be 100% working from home. My goal is 20 hours a week, plus 20 hours doing the billing for my doctor in CA & I am set to go. I struggled with the decision (as I always do) but I always seem to come back to the idea that I may not be able to work from my home forever. It's good money, it's legit work, its something I could do with my eyes closed...go for it. And so I shall! Now I just have to transition out of the hospital & I will be good to go.

I made my first baseball bracelet. Love it, love it, love it!

We did manage to get out of the house for a bit. I never took my camera cause, well, I'm lazy. I just wanted to enjoy, relax & not have to worry about it. Besides, that's what iPhones are for, right?

We went down to the lake one day. It was A-Mazing! Suuny, quiet, peaceful...pure bliss. I think I smiled the entire time. We soaked up some sunshine, played in the water & collected rocks & shells along the way.

We also went down by the creek another day. They have a science center we strolled through & then took a little walk by the water.

For some reason there were tons of butterflies, and they were not shy. So pretty to see them flutter around.

We also fed the ducks, skipped rocks & listened to all the birds chirp away.

This picture kind of freaks me out cause it was PACKED down by the water. Kids, adults & dogs everywhere.

There is nothing in this photo. So strange! I didn't even realize it until I saw it on my computer screen. Twilight show action there.

It's been a fun week & we're on the last day. I have a list! Dogs need baths, grocery shopping needs to get done, and the nugget is really wanting to go ice skating. (Her one spring break wish.) Hoping I can make it all happen.

Hope y'all are enjoying this awesome time of year.

Get outside, catch some sun rays & make it a great day!!

Where do babies come from??

2012-03-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

If you're not quite sure, you're at the wrong place.

I'm definitely not here to educate you...I've already had that talk once this week. ((sigh))

My sweet, tiny, free spirited child is learning the human body in science class. It was about 2 weeks ago that her & I had a little conversation that went a little something like this:

A: "We're learning about the body in science and it creeps me out.

Me: "Creeps you out? Why? The human body is facinating."

A: "Well, not all the systems, just one." It starts with an R."

Me: "Respiratory?"

A: "No, that one's pretty cool."

Me: "Reproductive?"

A: "Ugghhh! Yes! CREEPY!"

Knife to my heart I tell ya. My baby was about to learn about babies! My husband has a strong medical background and has said since day one that our child was getting "the talk" from us before anyone else. We didn't want her going into class & being completely freaked out & then run home screaming, "WHY DIDN"T YOU WARN ME???" Knowing that today was the boy/girl day we just ripped it off like a band-aid & sat her down this week.

I'll spare you details, but it made me realize how fast this little girl is growing. I don't exactly want to rush her growing up, but I surely don't want her to be the uninformed kid. Although she hated every minute of our family meeting, she showed incredibly maturity (especially considering I had to fight back giggles and a few "that's what she said" comments every now and then), she was thankful for us being there & I have no doubt she will be slightly less uncomfortable today during her two and a half hour class. WTH?!?!

The boys session=1 hour. Girls=2 1/2. Holy guacamole!

It was during this time that I really started thinking about our job as parents. It is up to us to protect our kids, educate our kids, provide a never ending support system to our kids and show them what life is all about. We're here to give them the tools to succeed & I can not even begin to tell you how important that is to me. Although this talk is not the most pleasant talk to have, I look forward to being there for my child always. I look forward to talks about friends, boys, jobs, and life in general. It's my job!

It's hard to see my little one becoming not-so-little,

but it makes me want to cherish every single day.

Through the good, the bad & the ugly...

that crazy little girl will be my everything until the end of time!

*Now I can sip on wine & cry my way through the day. Something tells me this will not be my last sad mama day.

Spring Break is knocking at my door...

2012-03-07T14:24:00.000-08:00

I literally just walked in the door. Worked all day & although it's only Wednesday I am ready to par-tay like no other. Why? Cause it's my Friday. But even better than that, it's the start of my First Annual Adult Spring Break. (Totally just made up this morning) Every year around this time my little nugget asks, "What are we doing for Spring Break." My response is usually an evil laugh, or a sarcastic "pssshhhh". Everyone knows Spring Break is long gone when you become a responsible adult. At least for me it was. I hear of families taking vacation and parents planning fun events for their children, yet I always dropped mine off at day care & made my way to the office. I finally decided I'm taking some time this year. While we're not quite at the point where we can just pack up and get away for a week (one day we will) I'm looking forward to lounging in my PJ's just a bit longer & hopefully taking a couple fun day trips with the family. I was due to be off work until the 19th (GASP) but sadly I will more than likely pick up extra shifts here and there. Apparently everyone is sneaking away next week & I've seen some shifts pop up as overtime, so I'm going to hold out & make as much money as I can packed into a few days.

Just the thought of a little bit of extra free time has gotten me all wound up. The thought of an actual Spring Break is like crack!! Not that I would know, but I can only imagine. I practically jogged up my driveway & started writing, which I have not done in soooo long. I've got a list 3.5 miles long & my next task is to shake my money maker with some Wii Zumba. Yep, I can't seem to find time to take a class, so the cheesy video game just has to do for now. Besides, I'd rather shake so much I hurt myself in my own home rather than in front of a group of people. (My knee swells to the size of a softball every single time I play...dang you jacked up knee!!)

On a side note...I'll leave you with the only 3 pictures I have taken lately.

Last weekend we volunteered at the Austin Kite Festival. I was sooooo glad the husband found the website & basically said, "Guess what? We're volunteering." It was a chance to get out, help out & get Alyssa involved in the community (something we are trying to do more of). The people were incredibly thankful for our help & again I was caught off guard with the kindness. It still throws me for a loop sometimes. After our volunteer shift we met up with some friends and cruised the park for a little bit. I was fascinated by all the kites & the lack of tangled madness. The park was full! The only bad part about the day was, I didn't take my good camera, so everything was taken on my iPhone. It was so sunny & beautiful outside that I couldn't even see the screen until we were in the car driving home. These pictures give no justice to the actual event. Note to self...next year take your camera, chick!! All in all it was a great day & my sass-a-frass daughter had me laughing at her crazy antics on the kiddie rides. Good times!!

She's SAFE!!!

Hope y'all enjoy your week! I'm off to shake it!!

Cheers!

It's ALIVE....

2012-02-15T14:36:00.000-08:00

By "it" I mean myself. Yep, still alive and kicking. Just watching time fly by faster than I knew humanly possible. On a side note, as I sit to write this I see 9 drafts in my bloggy file that never made it to the big screen if ya know what I mean. NINE!! 9 times I sat down, wrote a little ditty & said, "this is crap". I hate to admit I've got a case of the borings.

I was given the opportunity to work in a new department for work & for some strange reason I jumped on it. (Still trying to figure out what was slipped in my drink almost 3 weeks ago) I'm back on a Mon-Fri work schedule, which means my work from home job happens on the couch each and every night ~~until the wee hours of the midnight-ish,~~ and I email, call, follow-up on other stuff during my lunch break, before I close my eyes for the night & first thing in the morning...(approximately 4 hours after I close my eyes). It's been an adventure. You forget how hectic life can be. Dishes pile up, clothes never make it back into the closet cause I wear them all straight out of the dryer. My pantry is bare bones. I have never been more excited to go grocery shopping in my life!! (Friday it's on like Donkey Kong!) I'm also trying to save a little money, so it's not only boring pantry, but no eating out for lunch. I've discovered PB&J all over again!

Besides the madness I'm happy to report I have made time each week to explore Austin. Frankly it needs to be done. One day after work we all hop in the car & go explore some sort of walking/hiking park in our city. Not only is the fresh air amazing for the never ending bags under my eyes, but it gets my body moving, the nugget runs and digs and acts like a 10 year old & we enjoy each others company. Tony picks the spot, I hop in the car & we're out!

It made for a fabulous Valentine's Day for the Monfort's.

Which brings me to...I'm not a fan of that day. It's cute, it's sweet, but it is highly overrated. Dinner reservations are insane, you end up with a cheesy red velvet heart of some sort & tons more candy to cause the butt to fluff & lump. I was surrounded by women who said they didn't care about it & then show up to work today bitter as can be cause their night did not go as planned. I'm talking Grown Women! I heard ladies talking about what they wanted for Valentine's Day & how their man "better buy it or else." I'm not a list maker. I refuse to give Christmas lists and I never ask for specific things for my birthday. Some women were asking for jewelry, clothes, a new car & a remodeled kitchen. (I couldn't make this stuff up.) We don't make a big deal about it around here. I love you today, tomorrow, April 25th, June 3rd, and December 10th. There's a chipper little Happy VD & a "good game" slap on the butt. Done. "Nuff Said. So I couldn't help but laugh hysterically when I whipped out the frozen jalapeno poppers to go with dinner (I told you, it's a sad food situation right now) and I pull out a heart shaped treat. Of course! It was a simple, stress free family night at home & I'd have it no other way.

See, I told you. B-O-R-I-N-G!!! I'm hoping to get a bit more adventurous this weekend & maybe venture out of the house for a bit. We shall see...

Hopefully y'all have much more exciting things going right now.

: )

I promise I'll be back on my game soon...and just in time for warmer weather & lake days!

Totally. Can't. Wait!!!

Fashion Police 2012

2012-01-29T19:14:00.000-08:00

I am a "Ride it til the wheels fall off" kind of girl. I'm speaking about clothes of course. If I find something I love I will buy it in several colors & I have a hard time spending more than $20-$30 on one piece of clothing. I am most certainly a creature of habit, I rarely update my wardrobe, and I'm cheap! My mom used to tell me it was better to spend money on a few good clothing items, than to buy cheap & watch them fall apart. My motto was "Why spend $100 on one piece when I can spend $100 for 10 shirts at Forever 21 & then just pretend they're expensive & hold on to them until no threading is left."

I still have the pair of socks I wore when my daughter was born. (I insisted on cute ones since it was the first part of me she'd see...feet all up in stir-ups. Ha ha ha!!)

I still sleep in a pair of my husbands boxers that I kindly stole from him about 12 years ago.

I keep shoes long after the style leaves town.

My most favorite pair of jeans are getting so thin I get anxiety knowing I will never be able to find a perfect replacement.

I'm plain, I'm simple, and I feel my best in a tank top, frayed jeans & flip flops.

I love the "idea" of getting dressed up to go out, but it stresses me out every single time I attempt to do it. I don't own a Little Black Dress, I have no go-to wedding clothes, and I had to go buy a new outfit for my most recent job interview because it had been 10 years since the last one. My work days have consisted of uniforms for so long that I forget what it's like to actually pick out clothes each and every day.

So, it was no surprise when I step into my closet tonight & turned into a total lame duck. I got the opportunity to train in a new department for my job (which I am SUPER excited about) and that means I gotta step outside the uniform box. The thing is, dress code is simple: business casual. Jeans are ok. No t-shirts and no flip flops. Easy, right?!? Wrong! I think I tried on every single article of clothing I own. I still have no idea what I'm going to wear, but I'm over it. I think I'll just walk into the closet in the dark tomorrow & grab 3 items....2 are bound to work just fine.

I'm about to start a very busy month, but once I get a few minutes to myself I am doing a complete closet overhaul. It's time to make my closet look like that of a 32 year old & not a near homeless, careless 21 year old. Uuugghh! The joys of growing up. I figure if I clean it all out first it'll force me to update if I'd like be clothed. I'll be sure to do some before & after shots! Wish me luck. And I'd gladly take any shopping/favorite stores advice. : )

Happy Monday....

2012-01-23T07:29:00.000-08:00

Monday morning & I am ready to take this week by storm.

I woke up bright & early to get started on my work day only to find out the computer at my company (in California) is jacked up. Not sure what's wrong, but all I know is I can't work until they get it up & running. So instead of being productive I took to the internet to read the news happenings around the world.

Say it ain't so!! Heidi Klum & Seal are calling it quits. Now, the husband and I have this very shallow & possibly inappropriate game called "Out lasted another one." It's hi-fives and giggles when a Hollywood couple splits. We got married very young & to this day we get crap from some people about being married. Little snide comments like, "10 years? That's a really long time to be with one person." It's sad that divorce is so common & easy, and some people make lasting marriages a negative thing. Weird. Anyways, I love Heidi Klum & loved their attitude about love and marriage. I thought they were solid....not so much.

I used to read Yahoo! articles on my lunch break at work. I would laugh so hard at how ridiculous most of them were & I'd often joke that I was in the wrong business cause clearly anyone could be a writer for Yahoo! Today's prime example:

"Are you a TightWad?"

A useless article talking about tightwads and spendthrifts. Is there really nothing else to write about? I'm all for money-saving information, but I'm pretty sure if you're that thrifty you don't need an internet article to help you realize you may be a tightwad...just my opinion.

Chinese New Year is in full swing & just in case you were wondering a FengShui Master in Hong Kong has stated that "Doomsday is just a bunch of make believe." So if you were sure December 2012 would be the end of it all, I'm thinking we should be fine. I may or may not throw a big 'ol End f the World Party just in case. I'd hate to miss out on the perfect opportunity.

How would one decorate for end of the world? Hmmm...

I know people usually say "Save the best for last", but in my case I saved the worst for last. Just so I didn't have to stare at this ugly mug for too long.

I can not be more irritated to see this guy going to the Super Bowl.

Not quite sure what it is, but my nerves can not handle this guy. He's just goofy, always has a stupid look on his face, and always has waaaaay too much saliva collecting in his mouth when he speaks. It's just bleh!! I think it all started when he whined like a 2 year old during the draft. News flash, you play a game for millions & if a team wants you to play for them on your FIRST SEASON you should be thankful you are able to play and someone is willing to pay you. Whiner!!!!

So instead of an exciting SuperBowl I will be forced to make a drinking game out of Eli Manning's quirks.

Stupid face...take a drink.

Stomp around the field like a 2 year old when you can't make a play...take a drink.

Ugghh! At least I can watch Tom Brady & those pearly whites. Man, I'm a sucker for dudes with good teeth.

And that, my friends, was the highlight of my morning. Nothing like a little mindless internet news to get your day going.

Happy Monday!!

Decisions decisions...

2012-01-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

It is Thursday, and I have received a total of 7 emails this week regarding middle school.

2 - important dates for the upcoming middle schoolers

2 - "try-it" night information emails for classes offered at middle school

2 - meetings with middle school counselors/department teachers for elective courses

1 - don't forget "Coffee with the Principal" next week for new middle school parents.

OVERLOAD!

I snuck into the new year with the thought ~~way back in the back of my mind~~ that Miss Alyss would be finishing elementary & jumping into middle school soon. With that being said, I did not expect to hear all about it 20 times a day starting 6 days into the new year. I now have no choice, it's time to get in the mind set of having a growing too fast, moving on up in the world, big decision making child on my hands. Holy, what am I going to do with myself, Batman?!

These meetings and gathering are all about finding out what my child may be interested in. I'm super excited for her. I remember being in junior high & thinking it was the coolest, and most awkward thing ever! I got to pick classes, was given more freedom from the teachers and changing classes every 50 minutes or so was fantastic!

The electives sounded like the best thing on planet earth, and I was excited to see the same feeling from Alyssa.

She comes home with fliers each and every day from our local middle school & it never fails that she wants to do EVERYTHING they offer. Now deadlines are looming & decisions need to be made. I hope for patience, and sanity over the next few weeks.

We are down to the final few choices of French, Dance, Orchestra (suddenly she wants to be a violin player), Band (cause flute looks like fun), Performing Arts/Drama, Spanish, Guitar, Cheer leading and Future Scientists Club.

What the heck?!?!?!?

Timing is everything!

2012-01-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

I've talked your ears off about my desire to make this my "financial year". I'm not talking get rich quick, just a better understanding and appreciation for budgeting and all that oh-so-exciting stuff. I recently galloped down to my local library...in my neighborhood, score!...and checked out a book by Dave Ramsey. I have friends, as well as fellow bloggy peeps, who swear by his method of budgeting. I had to check it out. After reading most of the book I was convinced I could do this. I've read several financial books by all the big names in the business. Some would bore me to death, while others made me feel like I was sitting in advanced trigonometry with no clue as to what was going on. Not the case with Dave Ramsey. The only bad part about it was my constant thinking, "Why haven't I started this earlier?" I soaked up as much as I could even though I didn't finish the book, and figured I could always go back if needed.

Then I stumbled upon THIS fabulous deal over at Mamapedia.

The Dave Ramsey Starter Bundle for 63% off! Jackpot! I couldn't order quick enough. In a matter of a couple weeks I will own The Total Money Makeover book, Workbook, 2 DVD Lessons from Dave's well known financial university training, Dave's envelope system (which I have started with my own cheesy envelopes) and brand new budgeting software.

All for the low low price of $45. An investment I am very happy making because I know it will only benefit in the future.

So if you've thought about your finances, or have tried finding a way to better manage money, I suggest you at least check out this program. Reading some success stories is so inspirational and totally motivates me to make it happen. I'm happy to report we are approaching our 1 week mark on our new envelope system & we have done so well. I know it's brad new, but I prepared myself for a much bigger challenge than we've experienced so far. I think it something we both (Tony & I) want so bad that we're in it to win.

Hurry before this offer ends...3 days... and jump over to check out the DEAL.

The Great Outdoors

2012-01-10T22:11:00.000-08:00

I can not even begin to express how much I love Alyssa's new school. Don't get me wrong, her school in California was not horrible, but it is a completely different world here. Choices on the lunch menu that include real vegetables, teachers that are so involved in every child's education, and opportunities we never experienced in the elementary school system. I actually had an email conversation with her teacher yesterday that went 10 emails deep. Just random "chit-chat". Love it!

Last Friday was field trip day for the 5th graders (3rd one of the year so far) and I was lucky enough to tag along.

We hopped on a chartered bus complete with movie screens, comfy chairs & a potty on board (just in case you felt the urge!)

We spent the day at a local camp, exploring tons of outdoor activities and team building exercises.

Archery seemed to be a big hit among the kids, and I must say I even got in on the action. My final shot was a bulls eye, so I figured I'd bow out gracefully & end on a high note. I had to sit back and laugh at the kids when they all started discussing taking their parents to Sports Authority over the weekend so they could buy a bow & arrow set for their very own. Every single kid was hooked. Boys, girls, didn't even matter!

*Top left corner is a picture of the "warning sign". Yeah, the teachers had a choice of either gun or bow & arrow lesson. Totally different world I tell ya! They saved themselves some stress & opted for the arrows.

I personally enjoyed the nature hike. Outdoors, great weather, tons of photo ops...sounds perfect to me. We spotted an owls nest, mountain lion tracks and tons of skat (AKA poop, and very fascinating to 5th graders!!) Just exploring nature & seeing the kids have an appreciation for it was awesome.

The kids got to participate in several "team building" activities, and I absolutely LOVED sitting back and watching it all happen. Many of the exercises challenged the kids to the limit, but the instant the light bulb went off and they figured out a task was amazing. They had to rearrange themselves while standing on a log. Everyone had a specific order they needed to get it, no falling off the log & absolutely NO talking. At another station they had to get their team from one side of a "spider web", AKA bungee cords & rope, to the other without shaking the web. It required them to lift, carry & really look out for each other. The final challenge of the day was an activity called Mountain Tops. The kids started on one wood platform & had to make their way to two more platforms. Each platform got smaller & no one was allowed to fall off. They had two boards to use to get from one spot to the next, however neither board was long enough to reach each platform. Using both boards would work, but tit took careful planning. The boards could not touch the ground, the kids could not fall off the platforms & if they did they would receive consequences. These varied from being blindfolded, having their feet tied to fellow classmates, or their voice being taken away. They were forced to work together, problem solve & each kid was given the chance to show leadership. Again, it was great to see it all come together & you would have thought they won the lotto when a task was accomplished. High-5's, hugs & tons of smiles could be seen. I of course turned into proud mama bear seeing them all work together & I congratulated them all when we found out our group climbed the Mountain Tops in the fastest time for the day.

It was such a positive, fun day. I still love hearing these little people say their "yes ma'am" "no ma'am" towards the adults. They were a sweet bunch & I can't wait until our next class activity.

As for Alyssa, she was so happy I made the trip. She cozied up next to me on the bus & when I asked if she was sure she didn't want to go sit with her friends her response was, "Are you kidding? It's not every day I get to ride on a tour bus with you." Crazy girl & her constant rock star personality.

Good times indeed!

My Monday Madness...

2012-01-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Today was anything but madness. I was just at a loss for words on

my start of this weeks happenings.

*It is amazing how much time is spent on football 'round these parts of town. Our team looses & suddenly I have no clue who, what, where, when, why in regards to the NFL. Hoping to find my mojo before the Super Bowl.

*I'm tired of hearing about Tim Tebow. Nothing against him, nothing against his team, nothing against his beliefs...

I just find it slightly overkill.

*I buy Alyssa a tiny desk for a whopping $20 and it changes life as we know it. Today was the first homework day of the year and I swear she sprinted from the front door to her room & whipped out her homework like nobody's business. I only wish the Kindle would do the same for reading...so far, no such luck.

*My child who HATES to wash her hair (I can't blame her...it's thick, it gets tangled, it's a BIG ordeal) has found a love for hair curlers. Yep, the squishy foam rollers that are incredibly uncomfortable to sleep in. Last night was our "trial" and today-after she ran to her desk for homework- she said, "If I wash my hair tonight can you put it in curlers?" Say what? Moral of the story is; when you find the spark to get their fire going, light it up!!! Yes, her hair will be in curlers again tonight.

*When making the switch to eating healthy you MUST adapt to eating 48 billion times a day. I ate 6 hard boiled egg whites for lunch and I think I was starving approximately 30 minutes later. I found that creating little snacks in either zip loc bags or small tupperware in the fridge makes it easy to grab and go, instead of staring into the pantry and grabbing a bag of chips while I "decide" what to eat.

*I suddenly remember why I've never been a "strictly H2O" kind of girl. I have slowly made the switch to water, water, water and I have spent most of the day going to the bathroom. I'm like the little kid who refuses to stop playing in order to go to the bathroom. I'll easily run around at work for an hour thinking, "I really need to pee," but I just keep working away. I know, I know not good at all, but I'm getting better. More water = more potty breaks & this is an adjustment for me. Who ever said being healthy is easy lied like a dog.

*I am kind of tired of Facebook drama. I don't really get involved, more of just a people watcher, but some people are so stinking negative and they have no problem airing dirty laundry. I use to just sit back and laugh. I'd call it the "Facebook Train Wreck". You know, the people you want to ignore, but you can't cause they are too entertaining. Yeah, not so fun anymore. I'm not one to tell someone how to live their life, but I'm going to make an effort to keep mine positive.

*I am madly in love with 2012. I feel great. Work is good, home is good, I am back on my vitamin kick, I'm staying active, I am ready to take on the world. I'm in a good place & that makes me smile.

Happy Monday y'all!!

Back to the Grind...

2012-01-04T14:59:00.000-08:00

It's been great, but all good things must come to an end.

The holidays are over, friends, and it's back to the grind of life starting tonight. It'll be dinner, shower, early bed & time to get the nugget back in the swing of a school routine tomorrow.

This was the first year that I was able to be home with Alyssa during her break. It was great. I worked on Tony's days off, I picked up some late night, and over-night shifts, but for the most part I was home during the day.

It felt good to not have to drop her off at child care every day and hear every single morning, "You should take today off." We got to shop, bake, decorate, go to the movies, enjoy some play dates and best of all, sleep in later than usual. But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to see her go back. A routine is needed!

I truly think I have the best of both worlds. I have a job (or 3) that helps bring in money, but I am able to adjust schedules and spend time at home when needed. I feel incredibly blessed to be given the opportunity to do what I do. It takes some sacrificing, some non-traditional way of doing things, but it works for me.

My day tomorrow will be quiet, and lonely, and OH-SO-PRODUCTIVE! : )

So, until Spring Break...we're back in the swing of everyday life as a Monfort!

Show me the money...

2012-01-02T06:31:00.000-08:00

Saving Money is one of my "must-do" resolutions. I've tried doing extreme budgets and they last about 45 minutes.

I've tried cutting things out that we really just need and that lasts about 3 days.

I understand that there's a different approach we need to take and I'm ready to give it a shot.

It's just like dieting and working out. I tend to be really hard on myself. I go in strong thinking I am going to conquer the world and really, I just set myself up for failure. I'm not looking to achieve results in 2 days, I'm looking to change a way of life.

My first step was to switch my banking. I HATE banks. I think they're a scam, they rob you and it's my freaking money, so HANDS OFF. So, I've decided to go non-traditional and start earning some rewards on my own money. The goal is, to have Christmas 2012 paid for by simply using my account for bills, and everyday purchases.

(Stay tuned for updates on how that's working out!)

Secondly, and perhaps my new favorite, I have joined SwapBucks. It's a site that lets you earn "bucks" for little things you do on the internet. Your bucks can then be redeemed for schtuff such as gif cards (AKA Christmas 2012...I see a pattern here).

I signed up...got bucks!

Played games...got bucks.

Answered the daily poll question...got bucks.

Even searched the internet...got bucks.

These are all things I do on my computer regularly. Why not attempt to add some rewards to the process. I figured instead of jumping in to extreme couponing (which still fascinates me) I'm looking at earn rewards/save money doing things that I would normally do. If I find a coupon for things I was already going to buy, I'm in. If I have to clip 40 coupons just to get 100 cans of sardines for $0.47, I may have to pass.

Now, hop on over and get yourself some SwagBucks!!

It's easy! It's free! Why not?!?!

What will 2012 bring me???

2012-01-01T05:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you!

Yep, YOU!!

I'll admit, I have resolutions for this New Year..as I always do...but they seem so routine & boring. It's the things I vow to do every year, and then find myself saying, "No, really, THIS is the year. No more kidding myself."

So to save you from the less than glamorous I thought I'd share a few off the wall plans I have for 2012.

I want to get a fabulous blog make-over. Bright colors, random quotes, sparkles, smiles & reflections of me. Other than that I haven't quite figured out what I really what, hence the plain blog for now. But one day...

I want to go big places with Scentsy. Some of the people involved with this company make me laugh so hard & give the best advice. I really see myself doing things with it. In February I'll be attending their little "mini convention", so I'm hoping to get drowned in motivation and make it happen.

I want to become ultra organized. I'm talking down to every last piece of paper in my home having a specific place. My first project is going to be a school box for Alyssa. I'm actually really excited, so it'll start next week.

I'd like to take at least TWO vacations with my family. One will be a trip to Seattle this summer to watch my soul sister, AKA the best cousin a girl could ask for, get married. Woot! Cant wait. But I'd also like to plan another fun trip with the 3 of us. Maybe California. Maybe Nashville (never been...sounds like fun). Maybe the East Coast. Who knows.

I'd like to become financially intelligent. Hmmm...not really sure what that means, but I'm taking finances by the reigns. I've been bogged down with debt for as long as I can remember. Car payments, rent, student loans, credit cards...it never ends. But I see so many people making their situation better, so I know there has to be a better way. I'm about to find that way & become smarter about how to ~~calmly~~ handle it all. And an added bonus to that goal...figure it out, make a stress free routine & then BAM, pull in the husband. I'd love to get the whole family on the same page and working as a financial team. I may even get t-shirts made to be official.

Finally, I'd like to make it a point to step outside of my comfort zone If I learned anything this year it was "Don't be afraid to live." What's the worst that can happen?!?! I'm not talking base jumping or chasing runaway trains. I'm talking, being spontaneous (not usually my nature), trying new things, enjoying the moment, taking the classes I've always wanted to, trying the hobbies that interest me, just being more free spirited. I've come leaps and bounds this year in terms of listening to myself and following my heart, and it feels so freaking good. So, why stop now. I'm just ready to kick it up a notch in 2012.

They may or may not be "traditional" but they're the things that cross my mind as we step into the new year.

I look forward to adventures, excitement and tons-o-good times!

My 2011 in print...

2011-12-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

I'd be kidding myself if I said 2011 wasn't incredibly insane. (In the best way possible!)

I had major changes. I shed more tears than I thought humanly possible. I smiled until my cheeks hurt. I took on the "out with the old, in with the new" mantra. It was a whirlwind, and I don't think I'd change a thing. ~~Except maybe that lotto ticket that didn't deliver quite like I wanted.~~

And it all went a little something like this.....

January we found ourselves moving out of our most favorite place to live yet.

Oh how we loved that backyard.

We cozied up in my parents upstairs bonus room for a few months.

February we got to visit with one of my favorite people on planet Earth, and we captured our ~~hopefully no~~t last pool jump picture.

March must have been uneventful cause nothing jumps out & screams "REMEMBER MARCH 2011?"

April was the month that Tony accepted a job in Austin, Texas. My world was beginning to change. He packed up his belongings and with the help of a good friend, made he drive to his new home. Alyssa and I had to get adjusted to life without dad nearby, and boy was it ever an adjustment. I discovered how fun Skype can be, and I learned that life with a child, and two crazy ass dogs is no easy feat (even in your parents lovely home). Alyssa & I discovered some extra bonding time & we enjoyed lots of time with Grandma & Grandpa!

May would be what I like to call my "Quarter Life Crisis." I felt like I was sitting pretty in one of those uber sparkly snow globes & some punk kid walked by and shook the crap out of it. The world spun around me and I felt like I was going to puke. (Literally) I stopped working, took time to just be me and the days were consumed with thinking, writing and wondering. This was also the month I took my first little trip out to Austin. It was 2 days of pure bliss. The warm weather, being around Tony, exploring my soon-to-be new city, it was UH-MAZE-ING!!!! It was very hard to come back & I sat crying in my car at the airport for a good twenty minutes before I hit the road home. I'm telling you I had become a water fountain.

Freak show for sure!! After the snot and the tears I knew great things were about to happen, and I felt more confident in myself and my life than I ever have.

June brought us the end of a school year. I picked Alyssa up on her last day she was a ball of tears and snot. (Wonder where she gets that from?) It was hard for her to say good-bye and my heart ached for her. But all was right with the world when she walked in the door an saw her daddy's face for the first time in 2 months. Greatest moment ever. We packed up the rest of our goods, emptied storage & we were off to our new adventure. One car, one trailer, a huge moving truck, one anxious 9 year old, 2 hyper dogs and 2 very tired adults = no shortage of memories. The 3 day drive sucked every ounce of energy out of us and it was the biggest sigh of relief to pull up to that glorious hotel at midnight. We cozied up in the smallest studio hotel room you have ever seen, for 2 weeks. We hid the dogs as best as we could and ended up sending Roxy to puppy bootcamp to ease the stress (and get her butt in shape...ha ha.)

In July we moved into our new house in North Austin. Moving day was the first day I even saw the place and I was beyond excited to see that the husband did such a good job picking out a place that was so well suited for us. We unloaded the truck in 110 degree weather, we crashed out in our new place (I still get chills thinking this was the first night we got to spread out with some space) and we woke up at the crack of dawn to drive to Louisiana. Yep, moving & shaking 24/7. We spent July 4th weekend with the amazing Hernandez family & it was a great few days. We spent the rest of the month down by the lake several times & I loved soaking up the sun day after day. Let's just say not everyone was thrilled with "the hottest summer on record", but when in Texas Go Big or Go Home!

August Alyssa started school. Her last year of elementary. I instantly adored her teachers and I again felt like this huge decision was a right one. She met friends right away and couldn't wait to get back to school each and every day. Tony got a new car, and was so happy to see adios to the toaster. I started selling Scentsy as a "hobby" and discovered not only was it tons of fun...people loved it. Another good decision. We took a few trips to the minor league ball park nearby, and got our sports fill for the summer.

September left us with 100+ temps nearly every day, and with Alyssa back in school I adjusted to a quiet house, working from home & enjoying my surroundings. I smiled tons, was able to have lunch with Tony on days off which seemed so foreign. The last weekend in September we had out first out of town visitors..my parents made the journey to Austin. We spent their days here exploring the city and we even got the in kayaks. Score!! Alyssa loved seeing her grandparents and I'm sure they were thrilled to squeeze on her for a bit.

moly buddy! We went to Dave & Busters for the night. We all played like kids, drank like fishes and laughed like hyenas. I'd mark it down as one of the best birthdays cause I had my 2 sidekicks (Tony & Alyssa) my parents, and my childhood friend Jill all by my side. LOVE!! I picked up a part tie job working for the local hospitals and I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed being out in the work force. It's a completely different world than working alone behind a computer at home (which I continued to do as well). It was also our first Halloween in Texas and boy do these people go all out. Houses were decked out with lights and decorations. Everyone was in their drive way handing out candy, chatting with neighbors & just being friendly. Imagine that.

Miss Alyssa took a jump into the double digits in November. I was able to spend the entire day with her and her new little friend. It was low key, but very fun and special. Tony took on a new job after working several years in a hospital setting. It was time for a break and he was lucky enough to find a good job super close to our home. It meant tons of work during the holiday season, but busy is good. Thanksgiving was a good one. Completely quiet, relaxing and delicious. We took the lazy route and picked up food at Whole Foods, but it was so dang good.

And then came December. 5 months in our new home & it feels like we've been here forever. The cold weather finally showed up and I was beginning to think I might freeze to death. Bring on the triple digits!! Tony worked crazy hours, I picked up a lot of shifts, we had holiday parties at school, play dates with friends, decorating, tons of fires in the fire place, and more apple cider than any normal family should consume. We had a family photo with Santa, enjoyed the light displays and had a couple days of ice sheets on the cars. Bbrrr!!! Christmas via Skype was a first, but fun.

It's hard to believe the year is over, and even harder to believe it was an entire year ago that this whole move started in play. Man how time flies!! It was full of highs, lows and everything in between. It makes me incredibly excited to see what 2012 has in store for us. I have a funny feeling it's going to be a big year.

Happy New Year! Stay safe, have fun & enjoy it to it's fullest!!

Cheers!!

**If you made it to the end you deserve a prize cause that was one long, drawn out post! Whew!!**

Better Late Than Never...

2011-12-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

I've been putting off my Christmas recap post so I could get my pictures all ready. Yeah, that's not happening right now. For whatever reason my computer likes to freeze or shut down when I try uploading photos. To save my sanity I'm just going to ignore that irritating fact & post sans pictures. (You can use your imaginations & make my Christmas as fabulous as you'd like.)

This year Christmas was quite different...seems to be the theme of the year. It was the year of "Santa's not real??" That talk was loads of fun, but being the ever dreamer that my daughter is, she'd just keep giving us examples of how she could prove he was real. The life of a dreamer. Also, since we are so far from everyone, family had to send gifts in advance. There were presents under our tree for a couple weeks leading up to the big day. That lead to a whole lotta "Can I open juuuuuusssst one?" Um, no, for the 48th time today! As it got closer I agreed to let Alyssa open one gift on Christmas Eve. That kept her nice & entertained until the next morning.

I woke up and read a "Merry Christmas" text from my brother & my first thought was that the day was going to suck. I felt myself get choked up and I worried about making it through the day without balling my eyes out. Christmas morning started with a little Skype session with my parents. The instant I saw them I knew I'd be fine. I was happy, relaxed, and enjoying my morning. My parents got to watch Alyssa open all her gifts and they opened some things we sent them. My mom made my whole day with her gifts to Tony & I. See, I HATE people buying gifts for me. I hate when people feel like they have to, and I hate hearing people get stressed out about what to get everyone. Christmas should not be stressful. It is a time for cheery holiday drinks, nights by the fire & never ending gigantic smiles on kids faces. A while ago my mom sent me a "What do you want for Christmas email", and I let her know I would like hair detangler & Tony requested flavored dental floss. It was our way of saying, we don't need anything, but it gave her an answer. Needless to say we were pleasantly surprised to open hair detangler, a pack of combs & flavored dental floss. Score!! The best part was, my mom thought "hair detangler" was some fancy new device. She even asked the girls at work about it.

Oh how that lady makes me laugh!!

Alyssa tore through all her loot & was so excited to get a Kindle.

We enjoyed our video chatting & later called back for round two with my brother & sister-in-law. Nothing like a computer screen to help share those funny moments, laughter, smiles & of course mimosa toasts throughout the conversation. We even took our now traditional Skype picture (which I'd proudly share if my computer wasn't being LAME!)

Being states away was new & different, but not as bad as I originally thought it may be. We all got to chat about how excited we were to get together for my cousins wedding in July. Hopefully we'll get to see each other before then, but only time will tell.

At the end of the day I sat back, smiled and gave myself a little hi-5! I made it through my first major holiday away from my family. It's a bonus to have Tony & Alyssa by my side & thank God for technology these days to allow us all to keep in touch so much easier.

Now it's time to clean up the madness & get prepped for the New Year.

Bring it on baby. 2012 is going to ROCK!!!

Yawn.com

2011-12-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

Grab a snack, it's story time!

You ever have those ideas that sound grand & then it hits you that you must have temporarily lost your mind? Happens about once a week for me. But this latest idea is kicking my butt tae-bo style!

I work 2.5 jobs.

1-I work part-time from home doing medical billing. This is my job from California that stuck with me when I left. I'd like to say it's because they love me, but reality is two people quit within a week of me leaving & desperate times call for desperate measures.

1- I work part-time in local emergency rooms doing registration for patients. I thought it would be "fun" to get out of the house & interact with humans a couple times per week. It offered great flexibility & lets just say it's never a dull moment in the E.R.

.5- I have my own Scentsy business. This started as a hobby ~~obsession~~ but has proven to be extremely fun & rewarding.

Last month I got the oh-so-brilliant idea to pick up extra hospital hours this month for some ~~bill~~ holiday money. It was going to be perfect. Keep me busy, put money in my pocket & get me out of the house a bit more. Hey, freak! Bad idea!!

I am exhausted. I have worked nearly every weekend lately, which really messes up my Fantasy Football Sundays. I showed up this morning at 5:30 only to find out I had been scheduled 48 hours this week. No clue how that happened, but that's just 1 part of the job equation. Tony got a new job, so juggling schedules can be hectic. I wake up at 4:30 am & when I get home he has just left the house. He gets home after 11 some nights & I'm drooling on the couch like a lazy sloth. I chat with him for approximately 4 minutes before I say, "Welp, I can't keep my eyes open, so peace out!"

Now my "to-do" lists seem to be growing instead of shrinking & I'm starting to see spots with all the colorful post it's that are crowding my space. I have rice crispie treats to make for Alyssa's school, I have 2 sets of Christmas cards to get sent & I have yet to take a family picture to shove into those puppies. In fact, we have a "Scheduled" family photo shoot tonight when the husband gets home. Yep, 8:30-8:35 pm I will snap as many pictures as I possibly can in hopes that one turns out half way decent. That means at about 8:15 pm I will be getting the child out of her pajamas to "dress-up", I'll retouch my 16 hour make-up job & I'll hope & pray that I can muster a smile from the Mr. who is fighting a man cold. Oy vey!

So, if you get a Christmas card from me with a stick figure portrait, I apologize in advance.

Packages will be shipped, Shopping will be done, A fifth grade holiday party will be had, and over 60 hours will be worked in my spare time. The good news is, I have a huge chunk of time off during the Christmas school break. So, after the madness I plan on spending three days straight in my pajamas. It's going to be grossly amazing!

If you made it through that rant, congrats, cause I dozed off about 5 times just typing it.

Hope you all are enjoying the holidays & getting fully involved in the spirit of the season!

I must say, the excitement of it all is keeping my sanity in check (for now)!

Maybe I just need a little cat nap...

Swaparoski numero dos!

2011-12-08T19:16:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled to do the Nail Polish swap & just a couple days later I signed up for a Glitz & Glam Holiday swap. I got partnered with the lovely Pamela over at Pamela's Place & I quickly found out she is super cute. (And she has a love for sweet tea...HI-5!!!) I was so excited when her package showed up on my doorstep. I loved all her little gifts, but I spread them throughout my house before I took pictures. (Bad Blogger!)

Have no fear..I tracked them all down.

She sent me a couple ornaments which were perfect additions to my tree.

I love all things silver and sparkly, so these two made my heart sing!!

Who doesn't love new make-up?

I actually have a few of the elf lip glosses, but not this color so I was happy to add another to my collection.

Do you see that stapler?!?! Alyssa already eyed it & I had to lay down the law and let her know HANDS OFF!!!

And perhaps the icing on the cake....

New Christmas socks! Black and red (favorite combo) with silver snowflakes (winner winner chicken dinner!)

No, this is not an optical allusion. My feet really are that different in size. I'm pretty much a freak show. I tried running away to the circus, but I didn't get very far cause I kept doing circles.

BA-Doop-CHING! I'll be here all night folks!

Thanks so much, Pamela. I loved the gifts...they suited me very well! : )

And a big thank to the lovely Raven for putting this shindig on the map!

Pretty Little Piggies...

2011-12-08T10:49:00.000-08:00

I'm waaay late on this post & my pictures kinda stink cause I snapped them on my phone.

A couple weeks ago I found out about a nail polish swap hosted by the fab Tara over at Fabulous but Evil. Nail polish swap?? Seriously? Sign! Me! Up!

I love nail polish so very berry much. I've painted my own toes for years, but hardly ever painted my nails. All the filing at work destroyed them so it was a big waste of time. Now that I'm away from the filing cabinets it seems as though I always have painted nails. I got partnered up with Jenna who has a love for polish as well. I was so excited when I got my little package in the mail & I ripped that puppy open about 2 steps away from my mailbox. Here are my new additions...

Poor quality picture does these colors no justice. They're awesome! I've already changed my polish 3 time since I got them & todays color choice is...

Perfect color & perfect amount of sparkle. Love!!

And here's the creepy hand/foot picture. My piggies are so happy!

Thanks Jenna for the loot. I love them all!!

I have one more swap post to blog about. I'm a bad swapping mamma jamma!!

...stay tuned...

Bring on the Jingle!

2011-11-28T05:26:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of tradition, but I hate the pressure. I never want to be the one to "break tradition" so I avoid the term just for safety. Seeing everyone start on their Christmas traditions makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. So this weekend I decided to dust off the Christmas boxes and make this place look magical. The husbands wish was, "Make this place look like a winter wonderland." We have always lived in fairly small apartments or houses, and that really hit home once I got things set up. I've got tons of room in the house we're in right now, and my Christmas collection is starting to look kind of sad. I did my best & now I know I'll need to hit up the after Christmas sales to stock up for next year.

We got our tree set up...

Pretty simple. Just your basic red/green Christmas explosion with touches of silver & a handful of special ornaments.

I think it suits us perfectly.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

Alyssa keeps asking for a new stocking, but I can't bring myself to pack these away.

I was so happy to finally hang up the wreath my mom made us a few years back. She painted little wooden ornaments to say "The Monfort's"

Our cheesy family ornament that makes me smile every single year.

My personal favorite. The tree protector...Wonder Woman.

And our newest Black Friday finds. Adorable little Santa statue & sign.

We've got touches of garland and cheery holidays signs through out the living room, and I still have some lights I may line the windows with. We shall see.

While our set up may be simple, it's perfect. The lights look festive at night and I know it won't be a complete nightmare to tear down after the holidays. If these massive winds ever stop I'll make my way outdoors to get some lights going. By Christmas Day I should be all set up to enjoy a great holiday with my loves!!

Party In A BOX!!

2011-11-27T15:44:00.000-08:00

We are down to crunch time.

Christmas Shopping crunch time that is.

So, I'm here to offer an easy way to shop without crowds, without lines, and with great deals to be had!!

I have been working as a Scentsy rep for just over 3 months. What started as a ~~way to get discounted products~~ hobby has turned into a business I am very passionate about. I am working towards my second promotion this month alone. While they may be small steps they have given me the motivation to keep going strong and to put my all into my business. Our annual convention will be held in Las Vegas next year & I WILL BE THERE!

Many people associate direct sales companies with home parties. You gather friends and a rep comes in and demos the product at hand. With Scentsy I do hold home parties, but a major part of my business is done through basket/pouch parties. I'm often asked how a pouch party works & today I share the details!

This lovely box shows up at your doorstep and has everything you need to be a success.

Inside the box you'll find a cute little felt bag (with handles) that has all your goodies tucked inside.

There are approximately 40 samples scents for you to smell.

(This is only about half of what Scentsy offers,

but this sampling gives you a great feel for what we have.)

I also set up an online party for your guests to order if they'd rather do it on their own.

The site is super user friendly, and gives great details and photos of the products.

It's simple. You take your catalogs with you wherever you may go..work, school, out to dinner with friends and even church. No need to clean your house for an in home party and they can be done anywhere in the U.S. Friends and family order awesome products & YOU get the rewards. Party rewards start at $150, and although that may sound like a bit much, let me break it down for you:

5 people order 1 full-size warmer each = $150

6 people order a 6-pack bars=$150

2 people order a "Perfect Mid-Size System"=$150

My point is, it adds up very quickly. And so do your FREE products.

Now, we all know Christmas is just around the corner & you could host a pouch party today and still receive your products before the big day! I am running a Christmas Party Special and anyone who hosts a pouch party from now until December 10th will receive a FREE Scent Circle and a FREE Travel Tin of your choice. These are my gifts to you and are in addition to any host rewards. It's a great opportunity to load up on stocking stuffers and gifts for everyone on your list. I only have 4 pouch parties left & they can be sent out as early as tomorrow morning. Jump on it before anyone else & start earning free goodies today!

Busy Weekend Indeed...

2011-11-27T06:43:00.000-08:00

It has been a busy few days. Our first big holiday weekend away from family & I live to write about it.

It all kicked off with Alyssa's birthday. There was no big party this year, just a simple sleepover/birthday bash with one other friend. It started off with cupcakes being sent to school.

My sweet child had one left over (Cause one of her classmates is allergic to chocolate...I can't even imagine!!) and she decided to bring it home to me. Delish!!

While she was studying away in school I decorated her room a bit & got the sleepover essentials all ready.

Giant air mattress - CHECK

Goodie Bags Stashed full of way too much candy - CHECK

Food and drinks to feed an army - CHECK

The girls came home after school & that began 24 hours of massive energy overload. I'm not sure how they do it & frankly I'm not sure I want to know cause it was freaking exhausting.

They played games, had "girl talk" (hhmmmm), built gingerbread villages, ate food, and said "What can we do now?" about 150 times. They managed to sneak in about 4 hours of sleep & they woke up with just as must energy as ever.

We enjoyed the day at Dave & Busters, seeing The Muppets (great movie) and then mom plopped on the couch like a lifeless fish out of water.

The night of A's birthday my parents got on Skype so they could watch her open presents they had sent. It was adorable. As soon as their picture popped up they began singing "Happy Birthday" with a cupcake and a candle in their hand.

Alyssa ripped through her gifts & once again was thrilled with her fun day.

She even gave big hugs to Grandm-o and Grandpa for her loot.

And another year has gone. 10 was a big jump for me. It's the awkward age of frumpy meets I don't give a crap. No more desire to wear cute hair stuff or even matching outfits. (Check out that grey shirt...stained like no other & yet she had to wear it out. Drives me nutty!) She's at the in between of loving toys & things being too baby for her. She has a louder voice & is not afraid to use it. She's developing attitude of a 15 year old, and I'm sure that will only blossom into attitude of a 16 year old. : )

She is discovering what she loves, what she's good at, what she struggles at and what requires her utmost attention. She is incredibly responsible with herself, our dogs & our little neighbor kids who she has taken under her wing. As hard as it is for me to see her grow up, it is very exciting to watch her develop into a smart young lady. I am so proud of Miss Alyss and I hope she had a great 1st double digit birthday.

Now I need a major rest before the next one!