There's Magic Out There: August 2013

August 28, 2013

Happiness is... (Week 11) Plus a Giveaway!

Its been a long time since I shared what is making me happy and sadly its not because I keep forgetting but actually because life has been rough this year. With my dad being so sick and going through surgery after surgery and wound care appointments, antibiotics in his PICC line that I administer, infectious disease visits, ER visits and so much more how can I even breathe?

Adding to that I am a mom whose kiddo started school for the first time on Monday! And I had never even been away from him for that long (EVER!). I couldn't find uniforms that fit him right until like 3 days before school started and I didn't have that beautiful first time meeting the teacher and exploring the classroom as I gush and take pictures of every inch of the room my kiddo will be in this year. Instead I'm unhappy with school and sad.

But this isn't about what makes me sad.. today I'm sharing what makes me happy right now:

Happiness is... Realizing that although it hurts and breaks my heart to let go of my child as he heads to school my heart is filled with crazy pride for him. I love my son and I am so proud of my big boy as he heads in to class and doesn't cry and tells me "I'm going to miss you mommy, I love you!" I know I've done a good job at making him ready for the world and I realize my son isn't a baby anymore (tears) but I sure do love the big boy he is becoming.

Happiness is ... the nice walks my munchkin and I have as we walk to school and then walk home everyday. We live so close to the school that the school bell rings at 2:40 and by 2:47 we are already changing at home! Plus I love our talks along the way! 

Happiness is ... that my munchkin goes to the same school my dad went to over 50 yrs ago, the same school I went to and even my brother and sister. Its now a family tradition! 

Happiness is ... PUPPIES! Yep, we are over run with puppies at my house. 
If you know us then you know we have been cat people since I was little. And yes we still have a couple cats from our family line but as you might also know for the past couple of years we have also had one dog named TOri. Well Tori had 5 gorgeously TOO good looking puppies and we adore them! 

Our cat/dog family was already happily blended and now with one kitten and our 3 adult cats plus one adult dog and 5 puppies our blended family is complete! Those little yaps mixed in with meows make our hearts melt and they all love each other.

Happiness is... This giveaway from the lovely Christina Coker for a $60 credit to Origami Owl for some fun jewelry. So go on and enter here now! (Good Luck!) ---->
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Since we are talking about Giveaways have you entered mine to win a $50 Gift card to Home Depot? There will be 3 lucky winners and one just might be you so head on over and enter here:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lisa at Crazy Adventures in parenting has been doing a weekly series called "Happiness Is_____" where every Wednesday she will be having a link up for others to share what Happiness is to them. So go check that out and link up! You can also follow others along with the hash tag #HappinessIs on twitter and Instagram. Hope to see you there spreading the happiness!
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August 09, 2013

Names in the sand.... (Beach life)

Weeks ago we went on our first family trip to the beach! Yep, my kiddo for the first time got to feel his little toes in the sand and beach water! It was amazingly fun and the perfect way to start our summer fun. Now with all these rough days these past couple of weeks all I need to do is look back on our beach pictures and close my eyes and I'm back there under the sun and in the breeze of that fresh salty air. I told myself I would write our names in the sand since I had been to the beach only a handful of times but had never done it before so I did it! Here's my name in the warm beach sand:
It felt awesome to have my toes in the sand and I will never forget it. My kiddo loved it and we cant wait to go back next summer. I will share a bunch more beach pictures soon! 

How was your kiddos first time at the beach? Did they love it like mine did?
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August 05, 2013

Home Improvements Here we go! (plus a Giveaway)

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.  All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own. 

This summer has been a big summer for us! We have been very busy and not in the fun summer way most would think. We have been going through a lot as a family dealing with my dads diabetes and getting ready for the youngest in my family (my son) to head off to school for the first time. With all this stuff and more our home has been neglected sadly. But when you spend so much time at the hospital and your days after are doctor appointments non stop you kinda have to set priorities and for us family comes first. 


Now that things seem to be winding down I started looking around here at home and we are in need of major changes and improvements!

For the next couple of months I want you to follow along and see how we get our home in tip top shape. We are adding more of our Hispanic culture into the mix. We are starting this month with the outside. With Texas temperatures being over 100 every day this month my lawn has been neglected and overgrown and full of ants. And don't get me started on my plants! They are mostly dead and for a very sad example let me show you a picture of our rose bush last year. 
Yep! Beautiful fresh roses outside my window! But not anymore. All the branches were brown now and even crispy. Not one single flower on them and in desperate need of new life so off they were chopped and now we are trying to salvage the roots and start new. Look at the sadness in front of my window now. 
Here are the branches from it that are being cleaned up
We are cleaning up and making our lawn fresh little by little by trimming and cleaning around the plants that are still living and giving room for them to flourish again. We are making our lawn/garden brand new with help from The Home Depot. The Home Depot has many Hispanic themed products out there to add a little culture and make your house feel more like Home. We are adding some fun lawn decor to brighten up the area too. Like this fun and cooky monkey 
and this amazingly beautiful hand crafted pot that I adore!
I am thinking of which plant to grow in this pot and am very open to suggestions. Something that will be ok during a drought and with extreme heat but be very pretty. 

To find some fun Hispanic Themed products like the Tin crazy Monkey and Talavera Round Pot be sure to check out a local store near you here.
So you can join along in the Home Improvement fun be sure to enter this awesome Giveaway for one of three $50 Home Improvement Gift Cards. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Hope you guys join me along this Home Improvement Adventure time and give me tips and suggestions just like I will give you plenty too! 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.  All thoughts, opinions and photos are my own. 

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