Shine Like One In A Million

Gadget & Technology Madness!

2011-07-01T08:11:00.001-07:00

There is something that I can't resist about new things.... especially if they're related to technology :-) I just love the feel of a new gadget in my hand or a new program on my computer that let's me do something cool!

These are all my latest techy obsessions on my list. So far I've only conquered one of them. The Samsung Galaxy Tab! I love, love, love that thing! I love that it's like my little computer that I can take anywhere. The screen is bigger than my phone but it's no where near as heavy as my laptop.

It will be even better when I can get Google + on it! I really, really want to get on Google +. Why you ask? Mostly...... because I can't! LOL! There is something about not being able to have access to something new that everyone else has that makes you want it more. I think it's going to be really cool and I can't wait for my invitations to come through so that I can join in the fun!

The alarm clock is something that I've wanted for a really long time but the truth is..... I'm just too cheap to buy it! LOL! I can't seem to justify $50 for an alarm clock. However, that might be coming to an end rather quickly because I think I would much rather be woken up by music than a loud and obtrusive noise.... it's working my last nerve :-)

The camera.... oh the camera. I have a camera that's really nice and it works. The problem is that I want a new one. Only because i can get a new one that has more features than the old one that works just fine. Ha!

Technology.... I'm a sucker for it! Apparently, from reading what I've just written I'm also a sucker for ...... and !!!! He he he!

33 Is The New 21!

2011-06-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

My littlest sister Lauren & I

So, I've turned 33! I can't tell you how great it feels! I've lost 30 pounds so far and I'm feeling amazing!

People have always said that your 30's are the best years of your life and boy were they right! I am thoroughly enjoying my 30's and really hoping that it just continues to get better as I age. There is something about life right now where, although I'm busier than I've ever been with school, work, and family, I'm really loving my life. I feel like I'm finding a deeper meaning to the purpose in my life. I'm learning to appreciate the small things more and more and to really cherish the little moments with my family and friends.

I'm so looking forward to the next chapters in my life. I can't wait to see what all God has in store for me! SO EXCITING!!!

Thank God for Fiber!

2011-03-01T14:55:00.000-08:00

Well, it's no secret anymore that I love to eat! I'll eat just about anything to, as long as it's covered in chocolate and sugar is in the ingredients list. HA! One of my favorites is Girl Scout Cookies. All those cute little girls standing outside the grocery store to catch me as I'm headed in to get my groceries so that I will inevitably spend $20+ on their little boxes of yummy, hip sticking cookies. My all time favorites are these:

You can call them samoas, caramel delights, or as we say in my house, "those yummy girl scout cookies in the purple box"! Call them whatever your little heart desires. The bottom line is, I can shamelessly (and I do mean shamelessly) eat an entire box of these in one sitting!

Thankfully while my sister was at the store the other day she saw these:

These little puppies are A-MA-ZING! They taste identical to the Girl Scout Cookies! The best part about it is that I can get a lot of my daily fiber out of these and because of the fiber, they don't have near as many points as those blasted hip loving cookies do. If you haven't ever tried these you should... they are too yummy to pass up!

Jingle Bells

2011-02-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Jingle bells takes on a whole new meaning with this video. Yes, I am fully aware that Christmas has long passed, but this little video makes me grin ear to ear every time I watch it! I love that I have such a musical family. I also love that the "musical gene" has naturally found it's way into the next generation. Both my niece and nephew just love music! They love to sing, dance, play instruments all just the same. I love how my family is always encouraging their sweet little gifts. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

L-O-V-E

2011-02-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

I love Valentines Day! There is no shortage of love in my family. It's no secret that I'm the pickiest girl in the world when it comes to men so, I've had very few "Valentines" all to myself in my life. However, there is one that has always been consistent... my daddy! When my mom was a single mom she would always make sure we had a "Valentines surprise" waiting for us by our bed or outside our bedroom door when we woke up on Valentines Day morning. Since my parents have been married she has passed the torch to my dad. There hasn't been a Valentines day yet that all of us girls haven't gotten something from my dad. He ALWAYS remembers!

One of my favorite memories is when one year, I was on my way to work, and my dad was running late getting back home with his Valentines goodies before I left for work. He really wanted me to have them before work so he caught up with me and stopped me in the middle of the road to get out of his car to give me flowers and chocolates on my way to work. He's the best!

Today, he surprised me (TOTALLY caught me off guard!) at my office with these:

For those of you that don't know.... my office isn't exactly a hop, skip and a jump from my house. It's more like a hike, nap and another hike from my house! That was quite the trek from some delicious (and almost gone!) chocolate covered strawberries :-)

Every girl should have a daddy that is as thoughtful and loving as mine. It's something so simple but it's just a great reminder that my daddy loves me and would do anything in the world for me (i.e the hike, nap and a hike). For any daddy's out there that read this: make sure your girls know how much you love them. Not just on Valentines Day but every day. There isn't anything in this world that can compare to or replace a father's love!

Love you Daddy!

Sweet Potato Empanadas

2011-02-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

My new favorite dessert! This dessert is great for cold weather and is still figure friendly! They're fairly easy to make and you can prep the filling ahead of time. I think that they taste best when they are fresh out of the oven. These are fun to make when you're having a crowd over and need a dessert that you can eat without using a lot of points. These little puppies are only 2 WW points each! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Empanadas

8 Reduced Fat Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

3 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Cup Cooked Sweet Potato

1 Tbsp Unpacked Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Sugar

2 Tbsp Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread with Flax

2 oz Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Cream Cheese Spread

Splash of Lemon Juice

Cinnamon

Filling:

Combine sweet potato, brown sugar, splash of lemon juice, and cream cheese in a bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, mix together your regular sugar, cinnamon, and a little bit of salt if you like and set aside.

Preheat your oven to the temperature on the crescent roll can. (I think it's 375F)

Get out your baking pans (you'll probably need two) and line them with parchment paper or spray them with non stick spray.

For the dough, you'll want to start with a clean work surface like your counter. Sprinkle your 3 Tbsp of Flour on the counter so that you can place your dough on it to prevent sticking.

Take your crescent rolls out of the can. Divide the roll in half along the dotted line in the middle. Now, unroll one half of what you just divided. When unrolled it should look like a really long rectangle. Divide what you just unrolled in half along the dotted line in the middle of your rectangle. You should end up with two sets of dough. Take one set of triangles (2) and pinch the dough together along the dotted line so that you create one solid piece of dough. Now roll out that dough so that you get one big square. Cut the square into four equal pieces and place them on the pan you want to bake with. Repeat this process with the rest of your dough.

Once you're done prepping all the dough it's time to fill. You'll want to place about 1 Tblsp in the middle of each of your squares. Next you'll want to dip two of your fingers in a little bit of water and run them along two touching sides of your dough. This will be the bottom portion of your empanada. Now, grab the dry corner of your dough and fold it over to make a triangle. The water that you just placed on the bottom part of your empanada will help to create a seal so that your yummy filling doesn't ooze out during baking. Make sure you press your edges together really well so that your empanadas don't spring a leak!

Bake at temp listed above for about 10 minutes. It's best to check them every minute or so after that to see if they're done. You'll want to take the empanadas out when they are just starting to brown.

When there's just a few minutes left in the baking process go ahead and grab a dish and melt your butter.

Once out of the oven, brush the tops of each one with the melted butter then sprinkle with your sugar and cinnamon mixture and enjoy! Just be careful... they'll be piping hot!

Inside Out

2011-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

God is always working on us from the inside out. His latest project with me is the word and actions associated with control.

The definition of control is to exercise restraining or directing influence over: to have power over: to reduce incidence or severity of especially to innocuous levels. Some synonyms for control are bridle, check, constrain, contain, curb, govern, hold, inhibit, keep, measure, pull in, regulate, rein (in), restrain, rule, tame.

Wow! That's one loaded paragraph. God has really been dealing with me for a while about my need for control. I've realized that my need for control has come from a life of being out of control. I spent the early part of my life in a home that was out of control and very dysfunctional. I have to say that my mom worked as hard as she possibly could, with the knowledge she had, to make it as "normal" as possible. I think early on I developed this need to try and control the environment around me to keep order & reduce the chaos. When my parents divorced, I decided that as the oldest child, it was my job to fill the role of the other parent and help my mom keep my siblings in order. Let the control fest begin! LOL! I'm so thankful for God's mercy and that my siblings don't hate me anymore for it. Growing up I think they yelled at me on a daily basis "you're not my mom"! HA!

What I've learned in life is that there isn't much I CAN control! God is not a controlling God. He tells us in 2Peter 1: 5-7 that we should have "self-control" not control of the world or people around us. So, does that mean that all this time I've been spinning my wheels trying to make everything fall into place just the way it should? Yep. Hmmmm..... What can I control?

I can control, my thoughts, my actions, and my words.

In my thoughts I have to continue to remind myself (sometimes a gazillion times a day!) that I cannot control they way my life plays out. "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord". So that means that whatever I assume to be true may only be my own ideals. God makes the plans for my life. When things don't go the way I think they should then it's my job to control my thoughts and remind myself that God knows what He's doing and His ways are better than mine. Even when I think I know better ;-)

In my actions I have to remember that I cannot manipulate situations or try to intervene to force God's hand. I am just a vessel traveling on the path that God has planned for me. If I listen to Him and trust Him then I will be just fine on this journey. It will get hard at times and I'll feel like I can't go on but I have to push myself to continue to press on and press through. I have to make myself keep moving and run my race trusting in God just like Paul did!

My words. Boy, that's a really big one! Words are so much more powerful than anyone may ever know. I was watching a documentary on Maya Angelou last night and she was saying that she really believes that words are things that have actions. You know, if you think about that, there's a lot of truth in it. My words can discourage someone to the point of quitting a lifelong dream or encourage them to conquer the world! That's big time! I want to control my words. I want them to bring life, love, and encouragement to others. I want people to find comfort and joy in what comes out of my mouth. I want to control my words so that I build others up and encourage them to reach for the stars! I want my words to be like Proverbs 16:24 "Gracious words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body."

There's SO much to learn about life. Learning what I can and cannot control can be really difficult at times but there is so much freedom when I let the one who was meant to control my life steer the ship!

Breakfast Tacos With a Little "Special Something"!

2011-02-04T17:52:00.000-08:00

So we decided to have breakfast for dinner tonight. We decided on breakfast tacos... with a little "special something" that I'll get to in a minute. The tacos were amazing and they were really low in WW points. We used real Flour Tortillas, Egg Beaters, Oscar Meyer Ready Cook Bacon, and 1 Large Baking Potato. We diced the potatoes and then par cooked them and finished cooking them in 2 tsp of olive oil so that they would be nice and crunchy on the outside. Each taco had 2 pieces of bacon, eggs, potatoes and a little "something special".

I betcha wanna know what the something special is huh? Well, If you're an avid Top Chef watcher (which I just might be) or if you love great mexican food (which I do and that's NO secret) then you might be familiar with a chef by the name of Rick Bayless. Rick is a very well known chef who has several restaurants in Chicago all with some kind of Mexican style kitchen. While we were getting groceries at Wal-Mart this evening we came across these in the Mexican food isle with the salsa and stuff.

This stuff is A-MA-ZING-LY delicious! The one on the left is called Ballpark Nacho. It's a cheese sauce with just a little bit of kick and a lot of flavor. You just heat up the bag in the microwave and you're done. So easy! You have hot cheese for tacos, burritos, chips, nachos, or straight into your hungry little mouth! The one on the right is called Black Bean Nacho and it's exactly what it says. Black beans that are mashed with a smoky chipotle flavor that is fantastic. Oh, I almost forgot the best part... The Ballpark Nacho Cheese is NO WW points for 2 Tbsp. and the Black Bean Nacho Sauce is only 1 WW point for 2 Tbsp.!

Next time you're in Wal-Mart, go to the Mexican food isle and pick this stuff up! You won't regret it!

You can also find more products, which I fully intend on ordering, at www.salpica.com

Breakfast of Champions!

2011-02-04T07:59:00.000-08:00

I haven't always been a breakfast person. Don't get me wrong.... I can eat ANY time of day. Eating is not the problem. The problem is that by the time I enjoy my one or two cups of coffee I'm full. So, once I started WW I realized how important it was for me to eat breakfast so that I could jumpstart my metabolism first thing in the morning. I have several breakfast favorites but this is my usual "go to" for breakfast right now. It's filling, satisfying and low in points!

Let's start with the bagels. I just love these Thomas Bagel Thins! They are 110 calories (3 WW points) and delicious! They come in plain, everything, and whole wheat. I'm currently addicted to the everything bagels but they are all yummy. Now, on to the cream cheese. I really enjoy good cream cheese. I won't mention brand names but I've tried the fat free cream cheeses and they taste just like...... fat free cream cheese. Not the way to start your morning! However, the WW cream cheese is the same amount of points (2 WW points for 1 Tbsp.) and it tastes like the real thing. It's so yummy and creamy and you wouldn't even know it's fat free :-)

My usual breakfast consists of a bagel with cream cheese, coffee and a Fiber One Key Lime Pie yogurt. All of that only totals 6 WW points! Not too shabby for a morning meal!

My Little Sunshine!

2011-02-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

Lorelei Nicole Seymour was born on February 3rd, 2009 and that was the day she forever captured my heart! She is such a little bundle of joy and the best niece an Aunt could ask for. Lolly has me wrapped around her sweet petite fingers and she knows it! I have to say, I felt spoiled rotten when my nephew came along but having my niece is just a double blessing! She greets me at the door every day with a hug and a squeal and neither one of us would want to have it any other way. Lolly is the most amazing little miracle and I thank God for her cute face every day! Here are a few pics of Lolly for you to enjoy....because I do! ;-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOLLY!

Lolly with Logan... her partner in crime!

Lolly likes to play with her ears when she's sleepy

I think it's so cute!

Who could resist this sweet girl?

Love bug!

Enjoying her birthday cake tonight

I'm not sure who enjoyed it more... "Bubba" or Lolly!

About me...

2011-02-01T13:02:00.000-08:00

I realize today that there may be folks following me that don't know me so I thought I would take a minute to introduce myself :-)

My name is Nicole, I'm 32 and I live near Houston, TX. I'm a devoted God follower, sister, daughter, aunt, and friend. I work part time and I'm going to school to become a pediatric ER nurse. I love, love, love kiddos! (Especially my amazingly adorable and oh so precious niece and nephew!) I love to sing. I sing all the time. Literally.... all the time. LOL! Ask anyone, I sing in the shower, the car, my office, walking around the mall, the grocery store, just about anywhere! This is me singing at a friends wedding a few years ago:

I also love to fish. Yes, I bait my own hook (even with live bait), catch my own fish, clean my own fish, and cook my own fish. If you ask my friends they'll tell you it's the "redneck" in me. The first pic below is of me and my Paw-Paw. He's the one who taught me how to fish and how to clean a fish when I was six. By a landslide, he was my favorite person to fish with. Those have to be some of my favorite childhood memories. The second pic is me fishing a few years ago with some friends for my birthday.

I also LOVE baseball. I'm an Astros fan. Go ahead and insert all of your jokes here ______. Don't worry, you can make fun and talk trash but it's my team. They'll get back on track... don't you worry! I love everything about baseball. I love going to the games, listening to them on the radio, watching them on TV (sometimes while napping), and even a little trash talking here and there.

Another thing that I think is interesting about me... I laugh really loud :-) I love to laugh! Laughing has to be one of the best feelings in the world and hands down the best emotion ever! I love to be around people who can make me laugh on good days and bad days. This is typically what you'll see when you catch me laughing really hard:

It's ok... you don't have to feel bad for laughing at this pic. It's funny! My family always laughs at these pics because without fail, every time our family gets together, there is a picture of me doing this "LOL" pose! HA!

One last thing you should know about me..... I have a tendency to show my "other side". I tend to cut up in front of the camera. I'm not sure that much needs to be said about this since there are examples below...

At a wedding reception

In a Boutique in Dallas

Luncheon at work

There you have it! Now if we've never met at least you know a little bit more about me!

Money in the bank!

2011-02-01T11:29:00.001-08:00

Who doesn't love more money in the bank?!?! I sure know I do! So, for any of you who follow me on Facebook you'll know that I have this recent fascination with coupons. I watched a show on TLC recently about these people who cut coupons (almost obsessively) and they save boatloads of money on their grocery bills even getting stuff for free. Now, I realize that I may not be able to get all of my groceries for free every week but I WILL make a dent in the grocery budget! So, my best find so far this week was a Kroger. Here's what we bought:

It may not seems like much but you have to think about it. Hunt's brand tomatoes are usually 80-95 cents a can, BarS hot dogs are $1.25/pk, single serve Mac & Cheese (which is gold in a house with two toddlers) is usually 99 cents each and the cheese alone is about $3! I bought all of these groceries for $3.38! That's a steal! I combined the store sale with the coupons and made out like a bandit!! See......

All in all, I've decided this is going to become a habit. I've already made an $11 savings dent in the groceries for the week and we haven't even made the big grocery run yet! Here's what I've learned so far about clipping coupons.

1. You have to clip all the coupons you know you will use AND the ones that you think you might use. You never know when something is going to go on sale. When the product is free or almost free with your coupons you'd be surprised how willing you are to try something new :-)

2. You have to clip coupons for 3-4 weeks straight before you will begin to see the big rewards. It seems that the pattern is that the coupons come out and then the manufacturer waits a few weeks for people to forget about or lose their coupons before they run a great sale. That's what happened with the items in my purchase above.

3. Plan your weekly dinner menu a week in advance and use the circulars to do it. We get our grocery circulars on Tuesday and Wednesday in the mail. We sit down with them and all of our coupons and plan our menu for the following week according to what's on sale and what we've already stocked up on and have at home.

4. Shop a week in advance. This may require a little more money in the grocery budget the first week you start doing this but trust me, it's so worth it!

I realize this sounds like a lot but I really do believe that this is going to save us a lot of money in the long run. My sister and I pride ourselves on being very frugal people but this just took it to a new level for us! LOL!

Truth is..... I'm a SUCKER for a great bargain!

Asian Food Quick Fix

2011-01-31T05:08:00.000-08:00

I really love asian food but I'm very picky. I have just a few places that I like to eat Asian food at whether it be Chinese or Vietnamese food. As you know, Chinese food is FAR from healthy eating/WW friendly. My favorite dish at a Chinese place is Orange Chicken. I was really craving orange chicken one day so I thought I would look up the point value. Well, unbeknownst to me 1 cup of orange chicken was 14 points! One cup, that's it?!?! I like to eat the whole stinkin' container! Ha! I had no idea how much sugar was in orange chicken.... no wonder I like it so much! So, I set out to find an alternative. The first thing I found was this:

Let me start off by saying I've never been a huge fan of pot stickers OR peas but this meal is just delish!! I add just a little bit of low sodium soy sauce to it and it's amazing! It's a light meal with a semi-sweet sauce that fills me up but doesn't weigh me down. The meal is only 7 points and it's worth every one!

So on Saturday I had some time to kill and I went to the grocery store still on my quest to find orange chicken and I came across this:

JACKPOT!!! I have finally found what I was looking for! This orange chicken isn't Chinese food but I tell you what, in some respects it's better! The chicken is sweet and spicy, the rice is chock full of edamame and almonds, and the sauce is just as sweet and spicy as I like it! The whole meal is only 8 points! Aaaahhhhhh! Can you hear the angels singing in the background? I can :-)

COFFEE!

2011-01-29T07:01:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I have to have my morning coffee.... otherwise you'll need to approach me at your own risk! Two Christmases ago my parents bought me my first Keurig Coffee Maker. I absolutely love this thing. You can ask my sister how much I love it... a few weeks ago it wouldn't work (because I hadn't cleaned it in a while) and I all but cried because I couldn't have my morning coffee. As sad as this may sound, I actually have a back up coffee pot just in case :-) Another thing that I love about the Keurig is that I can have a different flavor of coffee every day for a week. Since the coffee cups are individually packaged I never have to worry about the coffee going bad. If you're looking for a gift for the coffee lover in your life that keeps on giving, I would highly recommend a Keurig!

The other part to this story is the coffee creamer. I've found that the Coffee Mate Fat Free Creamer (in any flavor) is very WW friendly! You can have 2 Tablespoons for only 1 point. For me that's plenty even in my darkest coffees. So, if you're looking for a coffee creamer that won't eat away all your points here it is!

The day has finally come!

2011-01-29T06:12:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning to the most exciting thing ever! My scale. Every morning while my coffee is brewing I mosey on over to my cute little red scale and see what the magic number is for the day. Today it was 149.0! That's right... 149.0 not 149.6 but 149.0 pounds!!! I have no problem sharing my weight. I can't even begin to tell you the excitement that rushed over me! If I didn't think I would have broken the scale I probably would have jumped for joy while I was on it! LOL! This is such an accomplishment for me. I have been waiting for months to break the 150 mark and today was the day! I love that I've learned to eat everything I want, in moderation and I'm finally getting to where I'm comfortable in my own skin! For the first time in a long time I actually can't wait for summer to get here so that I can wear a swimsuit!

These are a few of my favorite things!

2011-01-27T07:27:00.000-08:00

So as I've mentioned before.... I love to eat! I'm a notorious snacker, especially for sweets or carbs. I've found a few things that I can eat that feel like junk food but aren't. Here they are:

I'll start with the one on the left. Special K Chocolatey Pretzel 90 Calorie Bars... the perfect mix of sweet and salty! This is a really satisfying chocolate fix for only 2 points!

Next, Quaker Rice Snacks. I haven't had a bad one yet! The point value is usually about 4 points per serving but the serving size varies depending on the flavor you choose. I know 4 points sounds like a lot for a snack but if your in desperate need of a carb fix it's totally worth it!

Last but most certainly not least is the Fiber One Yougurt!

The Key Lime Pie is my personal favorite flavor! It really does taste like Key Lime Pie and it's only 1 point! That's right, 1 point! This is a great dessert if you really want to have dessert after dinner and don't have a lot of points left OR if you like to eat sweets for breakfast ;-) I wouldn't know anything about that... ha ha ha! You can also add a little bit of granola (for an extra point or two) and then it's like Key Lime Pie with the crust, YUMMY!

So, there's a few of my favorite things.... what are yours???

Ranch Dressing - The Healthier Way

2011-01-25T09:42:00.001-08:00

I can eat ranch dressing on or with everything! I just love it! The only problem is that it's like a bazillion points on WW so I had to come up with an alternative. Here it is:

All you have to do is mix one container of Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (any brand will work), one packet of Ranch Dressing Mix and 1/2 cup of skim or 1% milk. You can add more or less milk depending on how thick you like your Ranch Dressing. With this recipe you can have 4 Tbsp for only 1 point! Compare that to the regular Ranch Dressing that has a little valley on the bottle: 4 Tbsp of their dressing is 8 points! How cool is that!

If you change the amount of milk you use or if you decide to you anything other than non fat greek yogurt it will change the point value so you'll need to recalculate :-) Now go forth and take your new knowledge of ranch and put it on everything!!!

Weight Watchers - My New Friend!

2011-01-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Food... I LOVE FOOD! I love to eat it, shop for it, cook it and smell it while it's cooking away! I love everything about food except... when it makes me fat (or feel that way anyways)! I really wanted to change my eating habits and learn to enjoy food in a "healthier" way. So, I decided that I was going to give Weight Watchers (WW) a try. I absolutely love it!

This has been one of the hardest yet most satisfying journeys that I've been on! I've had to retrain myself in the way that I view food and that has probably been the hardest part for me. I tend to look to food for comfort which we all know never ends up well... LOL!

Since I started WW about four months ago I've lost 23 pounds. That is a lot of extra lovin' I've been packing around! I have to say that I feel amazing inside and out. I'm getting back to a place in my life where I'm happy with my body. I'm not looking for a number on the scale or a number on the tag in my jeans to satisfy me I just want to "feel" good. It feels like it's been such a tiring and long process but the reality is, I've changed my lifestyle not just lost weight. I've learned to look at food differently. When picking what I'm going to eat I really weigh all my options now and make sure I'm not over indulging in the junk food like I used to. I've learned to substitute healthier options for the not so healthy stuff.

So, all of that to say, for all of my friends out there who are doing WW or even their own "diet" plan, I'm going to try to start posting one meal/tip a day that I've learned along the way that has really helped me to be successful! Hope fully this can help you or someone you know too!

Happy pound dropping!

New Year... New Blog!

2011-01-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and time for a new blog! I've definitely dropped the ball on the whole blogging thing over the last year. With so many new things happening, my goal is to keep track of it/ share it all here :-) Many new posts to come!

P.S. Special thanks to my friend Bobbie at www.clumsycrafter.com for helping me get my blog up and running again! You should really check out her blog! It's great fun and it'll keep you laughing!

D-Day

2009-01-20T09:38:00.000-08:00

Well, Obama is in and Bush is out. I have SO many comments and I'm not really sure what is PC to say and what isn't... LOL! Sooooo... here are my thoughts on "this historic day" : )

I believe that Bush did a great job leading our Nation. He was faced with many unexpected trials and I believe that he handled them the best he knew how. I don't think that any one of "us" could have done it any better or would have wanted to handle it for that matter!

I've learned a lot over the last year while I've been in school. I've learned what the responsibilities/duties are of the different offices of government as well as their limitations.

I see that Barack Obama promises so many things that he seemingly cannot deliver. Whether it be outrageously unattainable or just plain outside of what he is "legally" capable of delivering.... I do not think it can be done. I am concerned about the truth. That the truth will be blurred. I am concerned that he will promote for us to lose our differences and for all to be the same.... "one". Differences is what makes us the good ole USA people!!! Our differences is what sets us apart from the rest of the world. Why change that? I agree that peace is good and unity is good too.... but not to the point where it erases our individuality.

Only time will tell and only God knows what is to come. I'm curious to see what the future holds!

Groovy Tunes

2009-01-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

For those of you who enjoy laid back fun upbeat tunes this guy is great! You've got to check it out!

Happenings in Houston

2009-01-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

I thought this pic was too cute not to share! This is my nephew the executive! LOL! My sister and brother in law have a new little girl on the way and they drop my nephew off at my office on Monday's on their way to birthing classes. This past Monday was his first day at my office. I'm not sure who had more fun... him or all the girls in the office! He was more than happy to make conversattion with anyone who wanted to talk on the phone but became amazingly shy as soon as someone walked into my office. He was a riot!

Over the last few months things have been very busy over here. My niece, Lorelei, is due in two weeks and we are all anxiously waiting! There have been many shopping trips and much redecorating going on. All on top of the holidays of course! : ) There were a few scares with the baby's heart but God took the reigns and all is well now. Lorelei is a very healthy and very active baby right now in my sister's tummy. She is constantly on the move and refuses to stay head down! LOL! We are praying that she will stay the way she needs to be when the time is right for delivery. She is DEFINATELY going to be my sisters kid.... she needs to do it her way!

I've realized the other day that I only have two more semesters (and a summer session) left to finish all my required classes so that I can start nursing school! I am SOOOOOO excited! I've decided that HBU is where I want to complete my BSN. The student teacher ratio is much smaller than most schools and a large majority of their learning is hands on. I know that I will learn better with both of those things on my side. Hopefully I can set up a meeting with them soon so that I can make sure I have all my ducks in a row. At this point I would prefer no surprises please! I met a guy here at work who has a lot of friends who work for Life Flight here in Houston and as soon as I start my nursing classes they said that I can do a "ride along" for one shift to see if it's still something I really want to do! I am VERY excited about that prospect. As much as I want to be a Labor and Delivery nurse I think being a Life Flight nurse would be just as amazing!

Well, that's all from this corner of the world for now..... Stay tuned for pics of my sweet niece baby Lorelei!!!

Details of my trip to Washington D.C.

2008-11-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

Since I only had time to post pictures yesterday I thought I would post more info today. I had the BEST time in Washington D.C! I have to say it was one of my top three favorite trip that I've ever been on! I've never really wanted to go to Washington D.C. but now that I've been I can't believe that I've been missing out on this for all these years!
We took a tour of the capital and I learned so much during the tour and saw so many things. We saw the final resting place of all of the presidents. Did you know that Rosa Parks was the only person to be allowed to share this "final resting place" with the previous Presidents of the United States? Cool huh?! We learned all about the statues and the murals in the buildings and we got to walk through the underground tunnels. We got to see where the different committees and sub committees meet and the coolest part for me was when we got to sit in the House Chambers where the President gives the State of the Union Address! We also got to see where they are setting up for the innaguration of the new President in 2009.
On one day while we were there we got to see the Secret Service in action! It was better than what you see in a movie! Apparently when there is a motorcade in progress all traffic (foot and car) comes to a halt! You can't drive or walk accross the street. While we were stopped in traffic we watched the Secret Services escort in the Prime Minister of Japan! There were about 8-10 cars that drove in really fast and stopped. Then, they all jumped out and ran to the door of the hotel, almost as a group. Then they ran back to their cars, threw them into reverse and parked in a parking space. I have no idea how they didn't hit each other!!! I think that whole process happened in like 15 seconds or less..... it was SO cool!
On the last day we were there we covered as many landmarks as possible! We saw the Washington Monument, The White House, Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington Cemetery, Abraham Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial.
More than anything it was so good to get to spend time with the girls and relax! I think I got the best two nights sleep on Julie's couch that I've had in months! LOL! Needless to say, the trip was awesome!!!

More Washington D.C. Pics

2008-11-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more.... The first one is Arlington Cemetary as the sun was going down, the second pic is the Iwo Jima Memorial, the third pic is the White House and the last pic is Christina, Jewels and myself : )

Washington D.C. Trip Pics

2008-11-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pics from my AMAZING trip to Washington D.C this past weekend to see Jewels!
The first pic is the Washington Monument, the second pic is the Capital, the third pic is an awesome saying and the last pic is the worlds longest escalator

This is too cute!!!

2008-11-07T08:39:00.000-08:00

Callus' and Sore Muscles

2008-11-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

To most other females this will sound a little odd but there is something so satisfying to me about seeing callus' on my hands and having sore muscles after a hard days work! My sister and I steam cleaned the carpets in our whole house this weekend. As I was getting ready for school yesterday I noticed that I had callus' on my hands and that my arms were really sore. There was this sense of accomplishment that came along with my "battle scars". LOL! I sound like such a guy! HA! I guess there will always be a little bit of a tomboy in me no matter how old I get!

2008-10-17T06:58:00.001-07:00

So, last night we went to the New Kids on the Block Reunion Tour! I must say, I had the best time! I was a little skeptical at first as to whether or not this would be worth it but it totally was! There were moments where I felt like I was 13 and in love with them all over again! LOL! I definately screamed during a few songs like I was 13! I felt really old for knowing all the words to "Step by Step", "Hangin Tough", and "Please don't go girl" but when I noticed the girl in front of me knew all the words too (mind you she had to be AT LEAST 10 years younger than me!) I didn't feel so bad anymore : ) Nostalgia is a fabulous thing!!!

Crazy life...

2008-10-14T05:44:00.000-07:00

I'm realizing as time goes by that I really do like the fast pace that life brings some days! It seems like lately, there is hardly time to breathe. School is very busy and family and friends are too. There just doesn't seem enough of me to go around sometimes. I'm thinking that this would be a great time to experiment with cloning! LOL! I find that I learn the most about myself when i'm stretched this thin. I think I'm able to find more of the small things in life that bring me joy. My nephew is definately one of them. No matter what I accomplished or not he loves me just the same and still follows me around like I hung the moon! Aren't kiddos just a fabulous thing!!!

Quirks

2008-09-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their little quirks and I'm finding that one of mine is a facination with the body and the way it functions! Check out these facts:

* In one lifetime the average human being will create 3,750 gallons of sweat and 143 pints of tears

* There are 42 billion blood vessles and capillaries combined in the human body. That's 62,000 miles long or two full orbits around the earth

* Your eyes are capable of seeing 7 million different colors

* You use 200 different muscles at one time just to walk

* Your body will produce enough new bone in one lifetime equal to 12 full grown bodies

Pretty nifty stuff huh?!? The more I'm learning the more facinated I become.

New Cool Site!

2008-08-22T11:02:00.000-07:00

Okay.... new cool background huh?! Courtesy of a friend who also has a blog I found this AWESOME site for Blog layouts and it's totally free! Check it out...

http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/

$3.18!!!

2008-08-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, I got gas this morning for $3.18! Who knew that number could be so exciting.... especially related to gas! LOL! It's so nice to only pay $40 now instead of $60 to fill up my gas tank! Now if we could only get that number down to $30 a tank! LOL! I remember when gas went over $1.00... and we just THOUGH we were getting ripped off then. Oh well, Yippee for lower gas prices! ( and a kroger's card!)

Life Choices....

2008-08-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

We are all faced with challenges in life and I think one of the hardest ones to face is grief. There are so many different and perplexing emotions that come wrapped up in that one word. In some ways it's almost like a weird organized chaos in your mind.
Here is the definition of Grief: "A deep & poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement". So let's break that down.... Distress: "Pain or suffering affecting the body or mind". Poignant: "Painfully affecting the feelings; designed to make an impression".
Wow! So basically grieving is designed to bring about change. That's huge! It makes grief a productive place to be I guess. Although it may be hard at the moment it's the chance to change your life. To let go of and move forward from some thing that is holding you back from your full potential. To be one step closer to becoming all that you were created to be. It's all about the choice.... what you CHOOSE to do with where you are. The question is.... what does the moving forward look like?

Denominational Discrepancies

2008-07-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

So here is the thought for the day.... Inside of Christianity there are many denominations... lutheran, baptist, protestant, non denominational (not a denomination but still a division), etc. We all claim to believe in the same God right? The same creator of the universe? So, with that said why is it that within these denominations people believe that God can only move in their denomination? Isn't God all knowing and all powerful? If so, then what makes any one better than the other? Last time I checked, God was checking my heart, and my heart only, in relation to my relationship with Him. So, if that's the case, as long as I know what I believe and I'm good with God does it matter which Christian Church I worship in? If the church is teaching the truth and I can verify their teaching with the word of God then who cares.... right? Shouldn't you worship in a place where you're connecting with God.... where God is speaking to you through the message and through worship? Last time I checked with God that was the important part. To be taught the true word of God and to have a relationship with Him. To live out His word. Something to think about huh??? : )

A Good Read

2008-07-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

So, I tend to be a bit of a bookworm. The only unfortunate thing is that the only books I've had time to read are textbooks! LOL! I'm on a 5 week break from school and I decided that I needed to get a book to read that was not related to school during this time. So, I picked up "Walking With God" by John Eldredge. My friends laughed when I told them I picked a book that was an "easy read". John Eldredge is an easy read but his writing is VERY thought provoking. This book was written in a unique way. It's written in seasons (fall, winter, spring & summer) instead of chapters. The reason behind his logic in writing this way is that God walks us through seasons of life so when you're talking about walking with God why would you write chapters.... seasons are more appropriate. All of that said.... this book is AWESOME! It's one of those books where you just read a few pages every night and then you think about what you read. It's encouraging too! John Eldredge talks about how everyones walk with God is different and how you shouldn't compare your walk with someone elses. He also talks about how you have to have a conversational relationship with God. Man.... if you're looking for a good read that's uplifting, encouraging, and thought provoking you MUST get this book!

Woo Hoo for summer!

2008-07-09T13:51:00.000-07:00

I am so excited my summer is finally beginning! I finished my psychology class with a big fat A! I am steadily on my way to a 4.0 baby! I really did love that class. I think I just love school all together! I'm still amazed at how much I love it. God really does have a sense of humor! LOL! There are so many things that I want to do in the next six weeks. It seems like there just isn't enough time to get it all done. I think this is where I'm supposed to prioritize or something like that ; ) Ahhhh..... whatever! : )

Politics

2008-06-24T09:11:00.001-07:00

I have no shame in saying that I am NOT a supporter of Barack Obama. I think he is a phony and that he has the capabilities of destroying our nation. I think the article below says a lot!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080624/ap_on_el_pr/rel_dobson_obama

The Big 3-0

2008-06-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Today is officially The Big 3-0!!! You know, I was dreading it for a while.... but I woke up excited this morning! I think it's been a progressive decision to be excited. Today, I am officially a grown up! I love that I'm 30! Life is only going to get better from here. There is a diploma to get, a husband to find, a house to build, and lots of little rugrats to be born. There are lifetime acheivements to be made and a world to be changed!!! Watch out world.... HERE I COME!!!

I love being loved!

2008-06-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

My family and my friends are absolutely amazing!!! They threw me a surprise 30th birthday party yesterday that just blew my mind. I can honestly say that I've never been so surprised in my life! Anyone who knows me knows that it's pretty much impossible to surprise me! I am so curious that I figure things out when I'm not even trying to. I had NO idea what I was in for yesterday! A friend of mine put it best when she said, "you guys did a great job! You know you did well when Nicole can't find words to speak!" LOL!

It's so hard to even begin to explain how loved I feel right now. It's this overwhelming feeling. I dont't even know how to explain it! I must admit I had some reservations about turning 30 tomorrow but those are ALL GONE now!! LOL! I'm really beginning to understand that it only get's better from here. There are so many things to accomplish in the next 10 years of my life.

Thank you SO much to everyone who made this happen. I feel so incredibly special! I'm not sure that I could ever do anything in return for any one of you to show you my appreciation! Each one of you really touched my heart! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!

Time goes by....

2008-06-19T09:42:00.000-07:00

Man, it feels like it's just been a few years since I graduated high school and was off to explore the "real world". The reality is it's been almost 12 years since that day!!! I can't believe that 30 is staring me in the face.

Who knew that a number could present such mixed emotions. On one hand, there are so many things that I've not accomplished yet and I'm about to put 30 years behind me. On the other hand, it feels like life is just beginning! This still so much to see and do! I set out at 20 years old thinking I knew how life was going to go and what I was going to do but I only found out that God had other plans! He took me way out of my comfort zone to a city in the middle of nowhere to teach me social skills and to make some lifelong friends. Then i was able to realize my love of the outdoors while I worked at a camp and an outdoor school. After that, I was able to find a job that I loved (b/c who doesn't love coffee!) and use those skills as a volunteer at church. I was able to gain invaulable leadership skills and put them into practice under a skillfully guided hand! I have been able to heal old wounds with family and reconcile relationships that seemed lost for good. I lived in another nation on the other side of the world and deepened my relationship with God. There, i learned my purpose in life and found the desire to see it to fruition.
Man, the last 10 years of my life have been full of unexpected surprises, disappointments, successes and failures. It's been a ride I never could have planned for! I must say, I've loved every thing about the last 10 years. Granted there are moments I would NOT want to live over again! LOL! I know that the next decade is not in my hands (although some days I think it should be) and that whatever God has in store for me will be good! I can't wait to see what it holds!!!

New Toy!!!

2008-06-12T10:52:00.001-07:00

I'm still learning how to use my new toy but here's what I've got so far...

The difference between men and women

2008-06-12T08:59:00.000-07:00

Think about this..... When men do something (starting when they are little boys) it's all about comptetition. They need to be the best, the top dog. When women do something it's all about cooperation. They need to make sure no one gets their feelings hurt and everyone feels included. Interesting isn't it???

Raising Children

2008-06-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

You know, being the oldest of four kids and growing up around kids of all ages, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it was going to take to be a parent. I'm starting to figure out that the more I think I know..... I DON'T KNOW JACK! LOL! I'm just full of a lot of opinions that come from what I've seen and heard. There is so much to learn about the way that a child functions, reacts, thinks, behaves... and the list goes on! We've been studying Child Psychology in class for the last two days and there are so many things that you don't think about.
For example let's take the concept of spanking. (so controversial, I know!) There are so many simple ideas on this subject but "in the heat of the moment" they never cross your mind. (Disclaimer: I am in no way against spanking your children when needed.) If you spank your child everytime you go into the pantry to find that they have eaten all of the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms cereal box and then turn around and spank your child for running into the street where there is oncoming traffic, what have you taught them? Essentially..... nothing. Obviously eating all the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms box is no where near as life threatening as running into oncoming traffic! The child has to be able to distinguish between the different levels of punishment.
I, in no way, think that it could be "easy" to be a parent nor do I think that parents should be expected to be perfect. What I do think is that parents need to spend more time investing in their children. They need to find creative punishments that are effective with their child on their childs level of understanding. Every child has a different and unique way of learning, even when they are the same age. They are all different. (thank god!) If parents would take the time to get to know what makes their children tick and think ahead about discipline I think they would find a lot of relief in their own creativity!

Let the blogging begin....

2008-06-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

Well, here it goes. The blogging has begun. It seems that this is the way to stay in touch without having to spend 3,000+ minutes on the phone everymonth sooooo..... I'm going to attempt to blog on a regular basis. Here is the first one so we'll see where it goes from here!