just thought i'd share...

a few nifty things i use to earn free stuff, keep my hubby on schedule, and keep me on schedule...and keep the gray away!  (yikes)

*pampers.com - i've been keeping points w/ "gifts to grow" since november of last year.  i ignored the logo for awhile thinking, "am i really going to take the time to keep the wrapper and enter codes online?"  i finally decided to look into it and glad i did!  not only have my points recently made me eligible for a free subscription to "better homes & gardens" or 200 free prints from shutterfly (i still need to put together a baby book for my FIRST BORN!)...i can't make up my mind!  but also i receive coupons in the mail :)  so, if you use pampers and like free stuff, keep the codes found on the packaging, look out for any pampers print ads as they have codes on those sometimes, and if you shop at HEB they sometimes give codes on the print-out coupons you receive w/ your receipt!  yea for pampers!

*google calendar - if you have a google account, you can keep a calendar online.  you can have it set up to send you reminders and invite others to any events you enter in your calendar.  i have started using it for the sole purpose to inform my husband about any additions to our calendar.  it's great!  he simply "accepts" the invitation and an email is sent to me stating exactly that.  i understand it as he has it entered in his calendar, and is saying, "yes, sandra, i will watch the girls while you go see "the help" w/ your girlfriends on sunday."  great concept!

*lady timer-free version - okay, this is for iphone users.  i'm sure there are apps for other smart phones, too, but i really have no idea.  this is great for anyone trying to get pregnant, oooor for those NOT trying to get pregnant.  there are actually quite a few apps available, but i chose this one (it was free and had good reviews) and like the interface.  i only wish there was an option to email it to jason...i mean, why should i take all the responsibility ;)

tomorrow is friday which means the chances of me blogging are not good!  BUT there are some lovely things coming your way.  a crafty post about chore charts, a new recipe aaaaand this month's fab mama-jama of the month.  and i am SUPER excited!!  i am surrounded by women that are BEAUTIFUL inside and out, and i just love bragging about them!

keep "doing your thing" lovelies!

what?  ooohhh, you want to know about keeping the grays away?  well, here you go...

*john freida precision foam color - i've used at-home hair color before, but this was my first time to use this product, and i love it!  great coverage, conditions well and not as messy :)  and if you go to their website you can print a coupon ;)

not only did i have grays to cover, but my highlights had gotten out of control!

don't forget the sweet gloves!

start at the top (am i really sharing this?)

work it through and gather on top

the result...back to my roots, lol

the moment i wake up...

before i put on my makeup
i say a little prayer for you
while combing my hair, now
and wonder what dress to wear, now
i say a little prayer for you...

FOREVER, FOREVER, YOU'LL STAY IN MY HEART

AND I WILL LOVE YOUUUUUUU!!!

(and you're welcome b/c that song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day and possibly tomorrow morning!)

praying is a gift.  and as of late i am reminded of how powerful it is and what a lovely thing it is.  chattin' it up w/ Him, laying my fears on Him, my desires...and PRAISE!  i'm an emotional person...i'm woman, it's hor-moans, i'm crazy...call it what you will, but sometimes the act of telling Him thank you can make this girl a little teary-eyed.  i arrived at a one-year old birthday party yesterday after hearing some wonderful news about someone dear to me.  i had been praying for this person, and God answered :)  so, i was just thanking Him over and over again while driving to this party.  i pull up to the house, and i can't stop the tears.  they're happy tears, but i am no about to walk in there a hot mess (i think that might be the first time i've used that phrase, anway...)  so, what do i do?  pray.  "please Lord let me just walk in there have a good time and turn this energy into happy face."  thankfully, God turned my tears into smiles and i was able to enjoy the party.  i was talking to my girlfriend, who i don't get to see often, and she confesses that she loves my blog and that it makes her cry....uhhh, what?!?  oh wait...she's woman :)  she explains that it makes her want to be a better mom.  well, we all feel that way, don't we?  we're always thinking we don't do enough or that we can do better at anything.  i'm guilty!  and i truly hope i don't come across that i have all the answers and that i've got it all together (most of you know that is NOT the case).  but on that same note, i do hope somehow my babbles spark something inside you to be HAPPY, INSPIRED, and maybe even RELIEVED that there are other women out there that are just "doing there thing," and taking it day-by-day.  omgoodness, am i making any sense??

i say a little prayer for you...oh yes! back on point...

last night i went to a baby shower for a sweet friend.  after delicious lasagna (my fave), scrumpcious (sp?) cheesecake (also my fave), and unwrapping gifts accompanied w/ oohs and aahs, we gathered around the beautiful mama and prayed over her.  it was such a sweet and lovely moment.  we thanked God for all of her blessings and prayed for what's to come.  SUCH A BEAUTIFUL THING!

if it's not your usual routine, try saying a little prayer when you wake up...then maybe play "three little birds" by bob marley ;)  it does wonders!

just for laughs

jason recently bought THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF CURIOUS GEORGE, and we've been reading it to isabella at night.  she LOVES it, and i gotta to tell you, it's...entertaining...

curious little monkey, smokes a pipe after a long day, gets thrown in jail for being naughty and dabbles in drugs...really??

my own little curious monkey ;)

it's august...

and i want to know how that happened!!??  i have to say though that i'm pretty excited about this month!  i'm starting a much needed calendar w/ my hubby (thanks to a tip from a friend), isabella turns four!, she starts pre-k THREE times a week, and as of today she is signed up for ballet and tap :)  lots of goodies this month!  OH!  and my super, awesome, fantastic hottie of a husband has given me THE OFFICE!  we have shared this room for the past 8 years, and as of late he hasn't been using his "side" as much.  secretly, i've been wanting this space ever since dreaming of having a "craft room".  oh, i'm giddy about transforming this space...

i would like to have an open frame for my "organization" board including a chalkboard, clipboards w/ lists (birthdays, to-do's, thank you's, etc).  i have started designing posters for dandies (none are uploaded or ready to view) and would like to design an inspirational one for above my screen...before i was looking at this...

don't get me wrong, i LOVE led zeppelin, or i wouldn't have kept this HUGE silk from hanging on my wall, but every time i'd look up when i'm "stuck" on a design, they didn't exactly help...

on the jason's old desk will be my sewing/gift wrap table...so excited, so excited, so excited, so excited....

yellow, white and gray is my color scheme.  i hope to find some fabric this week to sew my very first drapes!

so, about this calendar.  my friend allison was telling me that she met w/ her hubby at the beginning of the month, and they went over each other's calendar so both knew what was going on for the upcoming weeks...brilliant!  i'm on it and so excited!  there have been many times i've heard, "i don't remember you telling me that," or, "when do we have a 'free' weekend?".  also, i keep thinking we need to schedule time for dates, for one-on-one time w/ our oldest daughter, time for ME, time for him.  august 1...what a good day to start.  even though jason wants me to send calendar info thru google calendars, which i will do, BUT we will sit down and discuss so there won't be any surprises.  besides, sounds like an opportunity for more face-time w/ my man :)

it makes me so happy...

to see people "liking" my friend's business and making sweet comments about her AND her work :)  i think it is so wonderful for people to take a chance on their own business...especially mamas!!

i realize i forgot to mention how affordable angela wilson is, too, for us young families!  i created a folder of my favorites and kept putting off ordering my pictures b/c i didn't want to have to make decisions on which to purchase!  i finally made my purchase and felt completely happy w/ every penny spent on the beautiful photographs.  angela uses pictage which produces beautiful prints, and they are always running specials :) like buy one print, get one free and even free shipping!  so, seriously, this mama-jama is the way to go!!

on another note, yesterday was such a HAPPY day :)

don't get me wrong, most days are happy but w/ a one year old and almost four year old, there are plenty moments of whining and tears...BUT not yesterday!!??  and i wanted to share it w/ y'all yesterday, but i decided to watch a movie w/ my man (adjustment bureau, highly recommend it!) and that just made my day even better :)  i have no idea how it happened, and i kept thinking throughout the day if there was something different, but nope, it was just another day...

maybe it was the shoes...

maybe it was rapunzel (i totally had to google that name for spelling!) joining the pirate ship...

or maybe it was my girls lovin' on my old dolls!...

or maybe it was the sweet milk mustache...

i dunno, it was just an awesome day that God sprinkled w/ sugar, and i told Him "thank you."

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. --Proverbs 15:30

our very first...

fab mama-jama of the month!!!

her name is angela, and a few of us call her "super mom".  i've been blessed to get to know this lady through our small bible study group at church.  she always seems at ease, joyful and her children reflect this as well.  she laughs when we tell her this and promises there are moments of melt-downs (both babies and herself), but it's just one more reason to love her.  she's sincere, honest and i just couldn't wait to BRAG about her ;)  not only is she a fab mama-jama, seeing her and her hubby together, i imagine she gets an A+ in the wife department, but what do i know...so, her sweet hubby chris has a few words to say...

Angela is the most selfless person I have ever come across when it comes to her family and friends. Every day Angela always goes out of her way to make sure the kids get the most out of there day educationally and have fun while doing it. Angela also takes this same attitude when it comes to her professional life as well. When working on her Photography, Angela is able to capture people in there true to life beauty and does not stop working until everyone is happy. Angela has been the biggest blessing in my life. 

angela wilson: wife, mom, friend and photographer

i emailed her a few questions acting as our interview...she has a newborn and two toddlers at home so uninterrupted time doesn't come easy these days!  meet angela...

*what did you do want to be when you "grew up"?*

Oh goodness! Well, I can honestly say that I was quite a day dreamer. I would imagine myself as a singer or dancer with an amazingly attractive husband of course and a family full of kids! Most people would not even know this though since I was always such a quiet little girl. Once I finally realized what a career actually was I became a little more practical and wanted to own a daycare. I have always adored little children and for some reason, they like me too! I am now a wife, mom, nurse and a photographer!

*growing up, what is your best memory of your mom?*

The best thing about my mom is her honesty with me. She has always told me things exactly how they were and I have always been able to tell her anything. Being able to communicate is so important, therefore I feel blessed that my mother and I have always been able to communicate with each other.

*what do you do to relax?*

Relaxing right now would be amazing! Nothing is better than a good book and my elliptical...I could do it for hours and get off feeling totally refreshed! I love to read anything and everything from the Bible to silly girl novels! I would LOVE to say that I walked on the beach everyday because nothing is more relaxing than the beautiful ocean and sun, but well, that just doesn't happen! I absolutely love to sweat, love to work out and love the ocean and beautiful sun! I think I feel relaxed just thinking about it all!

*what is your favorite activity w/ each child?*

- Austin is my 4 year old and I love our alone time together. He is the sweetest boy around and we just have the best time when it is just the two of us. It doesn't matter what we do because he is always fun to have around. He loves to just cuddle, play outside or even shop with me! 

- Reagan is my 2 year old daughter and I really enjoy our girlie moments. She loves having "pink toes" and enjoys getting ready with me when I am trying to make myself pretty! She has her own make up bag, hair dryer, brush and curling iron that she uses right by my side when I get ready. She also has a blast going to Hobby Lobby with me or "Hobby Wobby" as she likes to say.

- Anderson is 7 weeks today and I just enjoy his little baby self! I got the first smile from him last night which just melted my heart. I also cherish my nap time with the little cutie. We do not plan on having other children so I am really trying to savor the baby in him!

*how did you get into photography?*

I have always taken tons of pictures as a child and could look at old photos for days. Photography became my cherished hobby around Jan of 2010 when I purchased my first Nikon and took photography classes in order to capture every moment of our childrens' lives! My passion for capturing every little moment has grown now into a side career for me. As a mother of 3 precious children I want to try and record every little detail of their lives, and there is no better way to do it than with a camera! My children already love reading their photo books and talking about past birthday parties, friends and families. My goal as a photographer is to capture that special moment for my client. I love close shots of beautiful eyes, hands and tiny toes! Children are only little for so long so I want to make sure I get the little details on camera for my clients since it I know how difficult it can be for parents to take care of their children and take a picture at the same time! 

*what made you decide to start your own business?*

I have always known I would own my own business and when photography came into my life, I knew I could make it into something more than a passion! I am such a "daddy's girl" and since my father owned and ran his own business, I have always had the confidence that I could and would do the same!

i've had angela take photos of both my girls twice now, and i'd love to share the last photo-shoot we had for sophia's first birthday AND some sweet sister shots!  here are just a few :)

angela brought balloons and i brought sophia's banner from the party :)

angela is SO good w/ kids!!

she also brought this cute gift prop

i adore this shot

no words...

one of those shots where she just keeps snappin' away and captures great shots!

sophia is almost DONE, but angela keeps her goin' :)

I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO GET THIS!!

i loved isabella's outfit so much i just had to get some shots of her alone...angela sweetly obliged

hey, her birthday is just around the corner ;)

as if this post couldn't get any better...it does!  there's a GIVE AWAY from angela wilson photography!!!

**One Free Baby/Child Session at location of their choice. Like me on facebook and comment on at least one photo**

in 2 weeks there will be a drawing!

angela, i love your smile...your children are a pair of sweet hearts...you serve yummy, healthy lunches to my kids AND me all the while w/ a newborn bundled up on a sling w/ you...you are a FANTASTIC photographer and captured some wonderful memories that i never could.  THANK YOU!!!

oxox,

sandra

it's been a week...

since i posted last :/  fortunately for me that time was filled w/ :

-a few baby-free days:  i had time to go to the mall and try on bras by myself :)  not only did i try on several, i got fitted!  i highly recommend this!  i still wasn't certain i had purchased the right bra for me until i got home and adjusted the straps just a tad more and viola! i'm happy to say i've found my bra!!  this is huge for me and i even talked someone into doing it and it totally made her day...she was actually a cup size bigger ;)

-a date night w/ my hubby :)  this really doesn't happen enough and thankfully my friend brooke and i are going to start a babysitting schedule as soon as she returns from vacation (come home brooke!!).  i got myself date-pretty and as soon as jason got home from work we went out to dinner.  it was so nice to just sit and chat w/o any interruptions except those from the waitress...which actually, she kept coming up to the table frequently as we took our time w/ every order.  why not!?  no one was waiting on us at home!

-a one-night get-away w/ my mom and sisters to see julio iglesias in concert!  i grew up listening to this latin crooner, and it was so fun to see him w/ my mom.  and it was nice to have some time w/ my mom w/o my girls around.  i'm reminded that i need to do this more often!

-a date w/ my hubby AND oldest girl, isabella.  we went to see winnie the pooh and it was sooo gooood!  i wonder why can't there be more children movies like these anymore!!??  it was simple, sweet and was overflowing w/ nice characters.  it was refreshing after mistakingly taking our girl to see cars 2.  the story was too confusing for young minds, rude and the word "kill" was mentioned multiple times...really!?  the first cars movie was so much better and had assumed this one would be, too.  the only nice thing that came of that outing was that it was quality time for me and my isabella :)  again, i need to schedule more of that in to my calendar (a calendar that doesn't exist and will talk about later).

-aaand a girls' night to see an old friend perform in a musical rendition of urban cowboy!  mix in some nice family time and a rainy day that impedes any motivation and i'm back here on a wednesday :)  i actually have two posts waiting behind the scenes.  one may never make it to the front page, and the other is waiting for contributing words :)

until then i leave you w/ this...i find myself wishing i had more time for myself, my husband, friends, mom, children...oh wait, what about God?  while reading jen hatmaker's OUT OF THE SPIN CYCLE: DEVOTIONS TO LIGHTEN YOUR MOTHERLOAD, she states, "The 'you' buried under 'mom' is vital, essential, important.  Hang on to her.  Make sure she gets plenty of face time with Jesus.  He'll remind her who she is."  sooooo true!  when i stay consistent in prayer, reading scripture...just being reminded how much He loves me, i find myself wanting to be a better person.  i want to be a better person for Him, for my husband, for my family and friends.  i'm always wanting to better myself...do things for myself (business, this blog), but i can't do it alone.

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. --Matthew 10:37

wowsa.

i realize this entry started off talking of bras and ending w/ scripture, but hey, this is my dandy life!  the little brain cells i have left don't give me much of a memory so i just find it easier for me to get it out while it's on my mind!

i don't know what i'm doing...

originally i wanted to use a background from shabbyblogs.com but i couldn't get it to look right.  i thought i would give it a whirl again, but i'm still not sure it looks right...!  what do y'all think??  anyone have experience w/ this?

this is where you actually have to comment...give me feedback...throw me a bone!

;)

no, really...

post-baby hair loss...

...and waiting for the hair to come back!!!

i took this pic about three weeks ago b/c i wanted to start documenting my hair growth....uhhhh, yeah, i know it's weird, but these little hairs around my face are driving me crazy, and i want to see if my hair is really growing!  for those of you who don't know, it is normal to experience an insane amount of hair loss after having a baby.  yea for me!...i lost a ton of hair w/ both of my girls.  it starts around 3 or 4 months after your little one is born.  hair was coming out of my head like i had cancer.  after i had my first baby, i started noticing it when i would wash or brush my hair.   you know that movie "the craft"?  it's about four high school girls that practice witch craft and the really mean one puts a spell on the nice, pretty girl and she loses all her hair...i totally remember the scene, you can tell she has a fake bald cap on top of her head and she runs her fingers thru her hair and it just keeps coming out...yeah, it's just like that!  okay, maybe a little dramatic, but it's scary when you have never heard of this happening!  HOR-MOANS!!!  anyway, after noticing it while showering and brushing my hair, i noticed it all over the floor (as did my husband).  i mean crazy amount of hair all over the place...okay, i think you get the picture.  so, i was mentally prepared after my second baby, but i was a little hopeful that it wouldn't happen again.  it did and my sweet sophia is almost 13 months old and here is where i am...

you're prob looking at these snapshots and are wondering, "is there a difference?"  YES!  YES, THERE IS!  i honestly wasn't sure if my hair was going to grow anymore and if i was just going to be sporting lovely little hairs all around my face (that love to curl up in the humidity!), but i can see progress :)

and yes, she is totally worth it ;)

so, for those of you experiencing this lovely "side-effect" post prego-ness...it will come back!

i messed up...again...

yup.  i made the pineapple upside-down cake again and messed up on the recipe.  thankfully it was still super yummy, and i can still tell you how to make it :)

what you need:

yellow cake mix (do not buy butter recipe)

bertolli extra light tasting olive oil

eggs

20 oz can of sliced pineapples

brown sugar

what you might want:

glass of wine

cute apron (this one was on loan from my m-i-law...b, somehow it made the trip back home w/ me!)

spray the bottom of your pan (i used a glass baking dish) w/ cooking spray and sprinkle brown sugar all over (the more the better).  line the pan w/ pineapple slices (keep juice in can) and sprinkle more brown sugar over the pineapples.

mix the cake mix per instructions on the box, but instead of using vegetable oil use olive oil mentioned above :)  AND (this is where i messed up) instead of using water, use leftover pineapple juice in the can.  then pour over the golden yumminess...

pop it in the oven and bake per cake box instructions.  once it's finished baking, let it cool for at least 20-30 minutes.  befoooooooore....

flipping it...(my f-i-law was there to help me!)

a pineapple stuck and i'm trying to knock it off, hee-hee

oops...

no one will ever know ;)

yum!

so super scrumptious and soooo EASY!

now some people use cherries in the middle which i'm sure looks pretty, but i'm just not a cherry fan!  also, you can use two round pans for a better presentation.

thanks to my m-i-law, barbara (b), for letting me use her kitchen and buying the bertolli olive oil ;) and thanks to my photographer, marrrry, for helping me document the baking fun!  oh, and thanks to betty (not crocker, my mamacita) for introducing this pineapple goodness to me :)

first crafty post...

let me start off by saying i hope you had a fantastic fourth of july weekend!  I LOVE THIS HOLIDAY!  we had a great weekend spent in the country w/ family and friends, and we came back to spend some time in our hometown as i love our small hometown celebrations :)

in my last post i mentioned a project my friends and i did (my whole hobby lobby fiasco) last week.  my friend brooke had mentioned in the beginning of summer that she wanted to try making tie-dye shirts w/ permanent markers.  i had never heard of it, and i was totally game!  so, i suggested we do red, white and blue shirts, and they turned out SUPER CUTE!

taken on the 4th after a HOT ride in the parade :)

my isabella is being a trooper...sophia, she's just telling you like it is, "HOT!"

now i totally forgot to take photos (of course i did) during the process.  so, i decided to make another one so i could show y'all step-by-step :)

WHAT YOU NEED:

white shirt

permanent markers

alcohol (91%)

dropper (or straw)

cardboard or cereal box (something to put b/w the front and back of the shirt)

any iron letters or appliques you wish to use

FRESH AIR (the strong markers and alcohol can do a number on you!)

first, stuff cardboard in the shirt so your marker and alcohol won't bleed thru

then draw a small burst of color (like a flower)

surround that first "flower" w/ a diff color all around it and continue to do so until you reach the size you desire.  you just want to make sure to leave room for others.

*please note that the 4th of july shirts i made was done w/ one "flower" right in the middle of the shirt

now for the fun part...

take your dropper (or straw and hold the top of the straw w/ one finger) and dip into the alcohol.

drop a little bit of alcohol in the center of one "flower", and then circle around each ring while releasing alcohol (the weaker percentage of alcohol, the more you'll need to use).

continue process on each "flower"

you'll start to see the colors bleed into each other...

after finishing each "flower" let it dry for about 10-15 minutes and then dry in your dryer.  once it's dried (should only take about 20 minutes) you can iron on decoration (follow directions to your specific decoration :)

now, i will say that i think these are a GREAT idea for a special occasion that your child might get one use out of :/  holiday wear, birthday party, etc.  there has been some mixed results w/ the washing (maybe my gal pals can comment?) ;)

i hope i wasn't too confusing!!!  please be patient w/ me as i hope practice makes perfect on relaying instructions for these projects!!!  coming up next...the REAL pineapple upside-down cake recipe aaaand, in the works, the very first FAB MAMA~JAMA OF THE MONTH!!!