Thankful Thursdays

Yeah! I am actually making "Thankful Thursdays" on THURSDAY! 

(Imagine that!)

1.  My happy, healthy and sleeping through the night son Ry-guy

2.  My incredible babysitter -my Dad (he's the best!)

3.  J-Lo- he sends me messages throughout the day while he is at work and they make me feel so special.

4.  My job.  I started back to work this week- I won't lie, it was hard but in this economy I am glad I not only have a job, but one I love.

5.  The people I work with- they help make the job so wonderful.

6. My sisters- I feel so lucky to have them to talk to about anything.

7. My mom- she is so sweet... she went shopping yesterday and found a dress for me to wear to 

8. my cousin Anna's wedding this weekend (I can't wait, she will be incredible!)

9. My health

10. Sore muscles- it means I had time to workout and my muscles are getting toned! 

A Beautiful Day for a Beautiful Bride

When you love someone as much as I love my sisters you want to do everything you can to make them feel special as often as you can.  God has blessed me with the most amazing family and given me two of the best friends a girl could ask for... my sisters.  Yesterday was a time to celebrate my sister and bride-to-be TRACY!!!

Stylish Bride

With the wedding just a little over a month away, Juju and I decided to make sure we help celebrate with Tracy "in style".  We threw her a shower with the theme being shoes and asked each of the guests to wear their favorite pair of shoes.  It was a fitting theme because one of the most special pieces of Tracy's day will be the incredible shoes TL surprised her with just a few months ago (read about it here).  Not only are they her DREAM shoes, TL bought them for her (he thinks of those things all on his own- yes he is a KEEPER!) and they are from her favorite movie, Sex and the City.   

Our Shoes 

(notice my mom's? read about them here)

We found just about everything SHOE related that we possibly could.  We did black and white colors (to coordinate with the wedding of course) and everything looked so cute! We even used her special shoes as a decoration. 

Shoe cookies for all of the guests-Tracy's was special just for her and BLUE of course!

Probably the best part of all was seeing my sister so happy.  She brings joy to the lives of EVERYONE who knows her.  She is always thoughtful, writing random and uplifting notes or putting together packages for a special time.  She thinks of everyone else first- I think she gets that from my mom.  I was so excited that so many wonderful people were able to come and celebrate Tracy with us.  I think it says a lot about a person's kindness and character when they have so many friends from all of the different pieces of their life.  She had friends from high school (and their moms!), college, work and family.  I hope everyone had as much fun as Juju and I did!

Some of the girls in the wedding- three of them drove all the way up from down SOUTH!

I love my sister Tracy more than she will ever know and I was so excited to have a day to celebrate the upcoming wedding with her! Thanks to all of our special guests! 

Love you Tracy Jean!

Just Keep Swimming!

My swim necessities (plus a pool of course!)

I consider myself a relatively healthy person. I try to eat well (minus the candy I LOVE!) and enjoy exercising on a regular basis.  I have run three marathons (I think those days are over!) and several half marathons.  I am thinking about doing the Cowtown Half Marathon in October-- if I am ready.  In the meantime, with recovering from a c-section & the 100 degree heat, I have really enjoyed the low impact activity of swimming.  I have been participating, thanks to my friends Paula and Darcy, in the triathlon training class at the gym and am going to give the triathlon world a try-- Go team VAG! (Very Athletic Girls-I didn't think up the name, my labor and delivery nurse friends did-creative eh?).  This class has really given me different ways of getting a good workout in the pool.  Plus, the people in the class are so friendly and supportive.  

The best part about swimming is the muscle toning and cardiovascular workout you get all with one activity.  It does not require expensive supplies, as long as you have access to a pool.  It gives me an opportunity to think and have some "alone time" too.  My most recent purchases were a new swim cap and a few new swimsuits.  I heard about the website www.swimoutlet.com and ordered my new suits from there.  I LOVE THEM.  They fit perfectly, were VERY reasonably priced and were exactly what I wanted.  They have an option of doing a "grab bag" which basically means that you pick the size and they give you any print of suit that they have.  It is fun and they are less expensive too!  

With the countdown to TL & Tracy's wedding (I CANNOT WAIT!) I am up for anything to get myself back into shape and stand beside her on this amazing day.  

What kinds of physical activities do you do?  Do you LOVE sugar as much as I do?

Hope your week is going great!

Friday Favorites...

So my sister Tracy does "Thankful Thursdays" on her blog.  I was chatting with her last night and decided it is something I would like to do, but it was too late for me to start last night (Ry-guy was sleeping and I try to get as much sleep while he is sleeping as I can).  So for this week, I am doing Favorite Friday! Here are a "few of my favorite things" (Feel free to sing to yourself as you say it)

1. My Son- this will be on all my "favorite things" posts so I will be specific for each one... this week, his BLUE eyes.

.

2.  Laying in bed and listening to the rain- too bad it is 103 degrees here today.

3.  When J-Lo makes me dinner- I'll be honest- he does ALL the cooking... I am a lucky girl!

4. My family- they rock, every single one of them! I need to do a post on these amazing people. Read about my dad specifically in one of my earlier blogs.

5. Corn on the cob... I swear I could eat 100 ears of it! 

6. New shoes- they make any outfit feel cuter...

7. Doing laundry- nope, I don't need my head examined, I really do love it!  It could be my AWESOME washer and dryer too... 

8. White Mochas- I like them from anywhere, but It's A Grind's are the best!

9. Hawaii- so many good memories there.

10. A hot bath with candles lit around the tub.

What are some of your favorite things?  Do we share any favorite things?

Happy Friday everyone! 

Cars

I have been the proud owner of two cars in the 12 years I have been driving.  First a Ford Escort (loved that little car) and now a Volkswagen Jetta.  I love my car and don't feel the need to have a new one anytime soon.  J-Lo has a Ford F 150 pick-up truck (which I really enjoy driving!) and had a Ford Ranger when we met (he LOVES Ford automobiles).  From time to time we like to talk about the next car we will buy.  Depending on my mood that day or a new car I have seen recently, my choice changes.  Because J-Lo loves Fords, he thinks that I should get a Ford Taurus or Crown Victoria.  Both of them are very nice cars, but not something I am interested in (mainly because they aren't much different than the car I have now and they are also something I would picture myself driving when I am maybe a little older).   My mom thinks it is funny that he wants me to drive one of these cars and we all joke about it all the time.  When we were in Monterey I found this car and had to take a picture of it.  I think in a perfect world, this is probably the car J-Lo would want me to have....

 

Nice wheels, but I was thinking more along the lines of a car like this...

GMC Acadia

What do you think??? 

Family Vacation Fun!

We took our first overnight trip with little Ry-Guy this last week.  It was beautiful weather in Monterey & Carmel- not 108 degrees like it was at home.  Ry-guy is an excellent traveller, although I must say that we have to bring everything short of the kitchen sink for the little guy!  I say better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.  

Family photo- maybe next time minus the sun!

The entire family was able to make the trip.   Everyone enjoyed each other's company and Ry-guy was able to hang out with some of his favorite people.  We hiked on the rocks and looked in the tide pools.  You should have seen Tracy, Julie and me... we were like little kids when we found all of the starfish and sea anemones.  Mom and I walked on the beach up and back and saw a ton of dolphins... I so enjoy their company and feel so fortunate to have each of them in my life.  

Ry-guy snoozing with Auntie Juju  

Our favorite men making breakfast

J-Lo and I also shared our anniversary in Monterey.  It was perfect because it is one of our favorite places.  We went to the Chart House for dinner and when we got our bill, the waitress said Ry-guy had taken care of the bill with a gift card.  Can you believe it? A two month old paid our bill!  I think he might have been helped out by some special grandparents I know... 

J-Lo and I on our anniversary

Family vacations are some of the best memories I have and I enjoy continuing to make them with our new additions to the family!

My favorite girls!