Happy Mommy Accidents

There's a Bun in the Oven

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 04:46:00 +0000

A deliciously fluffy buttery bun does sound damn good right now, but there is actually a numero tres in my big ole' belly.

So I'm at that stage where I'm not really showing, but if I wear something fitting it looks like I'm just fat and frankly finding something flattering to wear in my first trimester is pretty freakin' difficult.

My good friend introduced me to Tobi.com and well it's 50% off sitewide baby and how can I pass a deal up?!
Use code: FOREVERMORE, ends tomorrow Sept. 24 at 11:59 p.m. so HURRY!

Just a note, I strictly usually only shop sites with free shipping, free returns, and duh promo codes!

I'm eyeing shift dresses for dinner and non-alcoholic beverages with some tights and booties or a special occasion where I can fancy up with some statement necklaces.

Yes I'm hiding that little bump til I actually look like I'm pregnant.

I also love Asos.com which carries trendy maternity clothing when I'm bigger, yay!

For 25% off use code: FW14AWESOMENESS.

Happy Shopping!

Great Wolf Lodge and State Fair of Texas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 06:57:00 +0000

My recap and review of my GWL trip has been long overdue.

We had a 4 hour drive which wasn't too bad, thank goodness for our portable potty! Seriously, best investment I've ever made and it's not even that pricey, about $23. Purchased from Amazon. Wish I bought it sooner. A million times better than using those germ infested public restrooms. Yuck!

Great Wolf Lodge Deals

We traveled on October 7 - 9, there was a 20% off deal. I noticed they also had Halloween festivities going on which started on October 10 which I thought would be more fun for the kids, but I compared the prices and during their Halloween deals room prices went up. For 2 nights, we paid about $400.

What to pack - for a 2 night trip

Plenty of snacks and drinks for the road trip - keep in mind the lodge has a refrigerator and microwave
Portable potty
Plastic bags for trash
2 bathing suits
Puddle Jumper floats - the lodge has floats for the older kiddos, but if you have toddlers and you have puddle jumpers definitely bring those
Swim cover-ups - their websites state that you must wear a cover-up when you enter the hotel but you will see people who don't listen to their policy. I recommend you wear a cover-up because when you enter the hotel after coming out of the waterpark, it's pretty chilly
2 cute pajamas - storytime is in the lobby at 8pm.
Dress up and/or casual wear for dining outside the hotel and exploring Dallas.

We didn't spend all day at the waterapark even though it's open from 9am-9pm, we probably spent less than 4 hours a day and we only visited it once. The waterpark is smaller than we anticipated as well.
We only had dinner once in the hotel, we ordered a box of pizza and ate in the hotel room. We didn't get to try the restaurants in the hotel. There are so many restaurants to eat nearby and/or if you don't mind driving 10-15 minutes into Dallas there are a wide array of options
Grapevine Mall is nearby, it's more of an outlet mall which is awesome. LegoLand is located here. We didn't check it out because it seemed overpriced and small.
However, I couldn't resist shopping at H&M with their buy 1 get 1 free sweater sale. The H&M near us is always crowded so it was nice to shop without chaos

GWL Review

As we arrived to Great Wolf Lodge, we were able to check-in early at 3pm, check-in is at 4pm and they even upgraded our room. We originally requested two queens, but were surprised to walk-in to a KidCabin. A KidCabin includes a full size bed with a separate area with a bunk bed and a twin size bed. More room than we needed for the four of us, but the girls loved climbing on the bunk beds.
Indoor waterpark wasn't as big as I thought it would be so there wasn't much to do to be there ALL DAY, I wouldn't want my children soaking in chlorine for that long anyhow
My girls 3 and 4.5 years old were not tall enough to ride the big slides, big negative for us. At Schlitterbahn we were able to get double tubes and ride with the girls.
The water was a little colder than we expected
Would have been nice to have tubes for smaller children for the lazy river and wave pool
We traveled in October and the outdoor water park was not open
Before storytime begins at 8pm and the robotic characters tell a story and sing songs. You can barely hear what they are saying, the sound system is just not great. A squirrel came out with a staff member afterwards and read a story. The children were more excited to see the squirrel.
The buffet was not open
The Arcade and Cub Club are really small and of course all you do is end up spending more money
We didn't even bother looking into the MagiQuest game, appeared pointless and a waste of money
The rooms were nice and clean. No complaints about housekeeping.

Overall, the girls did have fun. We wanted to try something new and different but I wouldn't make this an annual trip. Actually, I don't think it's worth coming back. I personally prefer Sea World.

State Fair of Texas

We have never been to the state fair so we definitely took advantage of our trip which coincidentally fell during this time, wahoo!

I was a little disappointed. There is all this hype about the State Fair, but sorry I wouldn't drive 4 hours for it, maybe if I didn't have kids?

Parking was $15. When we left, we saw $5 parking which was the same distance probably closer
We went on a Tuesday, which offered a $5 admission with an empty Dr. Pepper can. We stopped by a gas station to buy the cans and emptied them out.
Regular priced tickets are pretty steep!

General admission: $17
Child (under 48" in height) $13
Child under age 3 admitted FREE
Seniors (ages 60 and over) $13
Seniors FREE every Thursday

We visited the aquarium, which was small but worth looking at if you want to get out of the heat, but requires admission
The Chinese Lantern Festival looked really interesting, but we didn't want to spend more money - Adults $14, Children $9 (ages 4-12)
We spent a lot on food, carnival rides and games
The place is huge and we were too exhausted and didn't even make it to Big Tex :(

We had a great memorable trip and very much enjoyed our visit to Dallas!

Wedding Guest Fashion Sense

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 06:41:00 +0000

I love weddings. I love the flowers, the decor, the bride's wedding dress, the bridesmaids' dresses, the tuxedos...it's all beautifully thought out and perfected together just like the couple confessing their love to one another. When you are a guest to a wedding, sometimes it can be difficult to decide what to wear.

My Don'ts and Uh...can you say inappropriate?
Hoochie Wear - a dress two sizes too small, cleavage in your face, and too short - higher than mid thigh and if you bend over I can see your a$$. Sorry ladies, leave this dress for the club. It's probably better if you wear some black slacks and a really nice blouse.

Jeans - why on earth do people think it's okay to wear jeans? You wear jeans everyday as your casual attire, so HELLO isn't a wedding considered super formal? I had a couple of people wear jeans to my wedding including a cousin. If only you could see the look on my face.

White/Ivory - do I even need to explain why? The bride wears white/ivory and she should be the ONLY person because it's HER wedding not yours.

Day and Evening Weddings
This past weekend I had the lovely honor to attend two weddings. One was a brunch wedding and another was in the evening.

Day ~ Classy Coral

Coral A-line Cutout Dress, Blazer, and Necklace, Forever21 | Olsenboye Heels (old), JCPenney

Lace Clutch (old), Marshalls | Double Link Chain Stretch Belt, Agaci

My heels are adorably cute, surprisingly comfortable and my fav of all affordable!Not sure if you noticed, but I'm wearing panty hose. Yea who wears panty hose nowadays, well I had an allergic reaction to penicillin and these red itchy spots were all over my legs. Horrible timing.

You can't see my belt on my dress, but it gave the dress some personality.

I have to admit my dress was RIDICULOUSLY inexpensive (frugal fashionista), but you wouldn't know because I accessorized it up. I love love the coral pink. I HEART Forever21. You can get so much for so little. Yea, the quality might not be as great as a $100 dress but how many times will you be wearing that $100 dress?

With a solid colored dress I can have fun with accessories and layering pieces for different looks.

Husband ~ Striking Suit

Unfortunately, menswear isn't as inexpensive as us ladies.

Loving the tailored grey suit and the patterned socks are sexy.

Suit, Light Blue Dress Shirt, Tie, Socks, Express | Hugo Boss Lace-Up Dress Shoes, Macys

Evening ~ Wanderlust Watercolor

Dress, Necklace, Heels, Forever 21

I didn't have a great picture of myself and the model did the dress better justice. Now the slight negative thing about Forever 21 dresses is everyone shops there. The worst thing that can happen at a wedding is you might see someone wearing the same dress as you AND damn it happened to me!

My girls were with me so I was running after them constantly and I had to walk by this girl all night! Thank goodness for my oh so comfortable heels. AND to make matters worse, she was in the ladies room when I walked in. I HAD to say something to make it less awkward so I went with, "I like your dress." Still AWKWARDDD!

The Girls - Blushes and Blue

Dresses, Macys and Palais Royal | Ivory Rose Headbands, Old Navy

Twas a beautiful day and night of weddings and it's always fun dressing up!

Grocery Shopping with Little Monsters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Oct 2013 12:36:00 +0000

It's that time where I dread when my fridge is almost empty and I have to make a trip to the grocery store. Grocery shopping in general stresses me out because there is so much I need to buy. I don't even bother with grocery store coupons and yet I still find myself cutting them out.

And when I actually have a coupon, I can't find the darn item to find out it's sold out. What the...seriously?

To add to the dismay, you would think since my children are walking and early preschoolers now they would listen, but Kylie my 3 year old hasn't seem to get over her " terrible 2's." I don't know what her deal is, but when she doesn't get what she wants she throws the biggest tantrum EVERRR. This girl loves to shop, but mommy can't buy her everything so NO means NO.

It's embarrassing and I just want to run and hide. What do I do? I give her the evil eye, she doesn't budge. I try to calm her down, nope doesn't work. I try to make make a deal with her, she could care less.

So I simply ignore her, can't even get all the things I need on my grocery list, hurry to check out and get the hell out of there.

Glam Up Fall with Beautiful Booties

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 20:46:00 +0000

I have yet to own a pair of booties, but I do have a pair coming in the mail! Can't wait to rock these bad girls. I must admit I wasn't a big fan, but my style and love for fashion have changed over the years. In the midst of soul searching, adjusting to marriage life, being pregnant and being a mom, it took me awhile to discover my style + what looks fab on me.

These are just some of my favs. Wish I could own them all, a girl can dream.

I'm all about glamming up and not having to spend a fortune. These gorgeous booties are $80 and under.

1. Forever 21, $36.80 (available in black & brown) | 2. Forever 21, $39.80
3. Call It Spring, $80 (available in black) | 4. Go Jane, $36.40 (available in black & nude)
5. Forever 21, $36.80 | 6. Tobi, $60 | 7. Agaci, $32.50 (available in black & tan) | 8. Zara, $69.90

Marriage IS a fairy tale....just in reverse

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 09:02:00 +0000

My girls like to play with their toys and they have too many of them. They seriously have 3 designated rooms with toys and yet they still seem to scatter them throughout the entire house. The living room, the hallways, the shoe rack, the kitchen, my clothes drawers and all sorts of fun places.

Happy Cleaning!

Sassy Swimwear for the Little Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 14:24:00 +0000

Next week my husband finally has vacay. OMG yes! I seriously NEVER see my husband. I'm hoping I get to squeeze in a date night in there somewhere.

We are going to Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, TX (check out the deals they have before you book + will be posting a review).

I purchased a couple of new swimwear for the girls and had to make sure their old ones still fit - they grow so fast :(

One Piece VS. Two Piece Swimwear
I personally prefer a one piece swimwear versus a two piece swimwear for the girls. Most of the time I find that the bottom may run too big and when in the water it tends to fall off especially going down a water slide. Always having to pull it up for your kiddos is quite annoying!

Potty Training Turmoil
My 3 year old Kylie is pretty much without diapers, BUT I have to constantly and consistently remember to take her every 30 minutes just in case. She has a problem with informing me when she has to go and has been doing #2 in her undies. Can you say GROSSNESS?! No, I'm not used to it and get irritated every single time and she apologizes afterwards. Weird thing is she fights me and sometimes bites me when I make her go and she ends up doing the potty when I finally force her on the toilet.

She is perfectly fine with sleeping without a diaper through the night. If I'm lucky during her #2 fiascos, I just happen to catch her in the moment of straining and I turn into Super Mom and dash to the potty. I've tried everything! I guess I'm just an unlucky parent, she does have a stubborn strong willed personality. Oh please let this phase be over ASAP!

Swim Diapers
I NEVER find any that actually work. Do they even exist? Or are they just made for catching #2s in the pool which thankfully has never happened, however she did pee in them because I've felt the warmness dripping on me when I happen to hold her or I see it dripping down her leg.

I'll probably be putting swim diapers on her during our trip unless she does #2 beforehand.

Cute swimwear photo shoot ~

Orange Grapefruit Bikini (4T, runs a little small), Target |

Red White Polka Dots Ruffled Tankini (3T, true to size), Target

Blue Polka Dots & Stripes One Piece ($12.95, size 2-4Y, true to size), H&M |
Floral One Piece (sale $3.95, size 3T), Old Navy | Purple Floral Tankini (4T, bottom runs big), Target |
Purple Tankini (3T, true to size), Old Navy

PROMO CODES ~

Target

Save 25% when you buy 3+, save 15% when you buy 2 clothing, shoes & accessories items for the whole family

No Code Needed

Ends 10/05

Old Navy

30% off when you use your Old Navy Card, Gapcard, or Bananacard

Don't have a card? 20% off

Use Code: STUFFSAVE
Ends 10/10

H&M

Sale up to 70% off

No Code Needed

Houston Tidbits 6th Bday Bash!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 16:01:00 +0000

Excited to attend my very first Houston Tidbits event. My schedule with the kiddos and a sitter was always an issue, but yes finally tonight I'll be attending their 6th Bday Bash at Gigi's Asian Bistro and Dumpling Bar in the Galleria! Looking forward to some dumplings, lychee martinis, and fab goodies!

Hoping to get there a little early for some retail therapy too!

Click here for more info!

Event Recap ~
Thinking I was arriving early and didn't even think twice about a long line, my gals and I ended up waaay in the back of that line. I didn't expect so many people and surprised to see some guys there too. Fortunately, there were still swag bags left for us.

My fav swag bag goodie

Decided to check out Lily Rain, I mean I do have a 20% off promo. You know how a girl loves a discount. I think I might just get this gorgeous statement necklace. Loving the dark grey and emerald green combo.

Had a great time mingling with my ladies.

The Tribal Trend

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 06:48:00 +0000

It's been a long week and a really tough day. Kylie is still struggling with communicating to me when she needs to go use the potty. This girl did #2 in her undies twice! I hope this phase is over ASAP like tomorrow.

Tonight it's date night with the hubby and it's a relief! Not only from staying at home with the kiddos with no social adult interaction, but since my husband has arrived home from Colombia, we hardly ever see him because he is always working.

Tonight, I decided to go casual with my tribal top. It's loose fitting, comfortable and covers my post pregnancy belly pudge. I've actually gained weight, but we'll save that for another post.

Top, Forever 21 | Skinny Jeans, Old Navy | Pink Skinny Belt, Old Navy | Necklace, Macy's

Earrings, Papaya | Flats, Agaci | Purse, Wetseal

I am absolutely in love with the tribal pattern. It reminds me of Cambodia, where my family was born. The tribal pattern is similar to the Cambodian Ikat pattern.

Did you know?

By the 19th century, Cambodian ikat was considered among the finest textiles of the world.
Unfortunately, Cambodian culture suffered massive disruption and destruction during the mid-20th century Indochina wars but most especially during the Khmer Rouge regime. Most weavers were killed and the whole art of Cambodian ikat was in danger of disappearing. Kikuo Morimoto is a prominent pioneer in re-introducing ikat to Cambodia. In 1995, he moved from Japan and located one or two old lady weavers and Khmer Rouge survivors who knew the art and have taught it to a new generation.

This piece reminds me of Ankor Wat, which I have yet to visit. Ankor Wat is a Hindu, then subsequently Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. It has a lot of history going back to the 12th century. Ankor Wat is a famous tourist attraction which is fortunately bringing revenue into Cambodia.

This is me and my two girls back in November for my sister's wedding wearing a traditional silk Cambodian sarong. There are also sarongs made out of cotton that the elders including the men wear casually around the house.

Here are my favorite pieces I found digging in my closet, including the one I'm wearing. Aren't they beautiful?

My husband also has his own sense of style and I'm glad I don't have to worry about dressing him.

I'm digging his look, check out my handsome stud.

Top, Urban Outfitters | Jeans, Levis | Shoes, Call It Spring

If you love to save money and <3 to look fabulous,

check these out ~

PROMO CODES + SALES

Forever 21 - 10% off $50 + Free Shipping

Code: 6PZPD4

Agaci - New items on sale and 60% off sale

Old Navy - 20% off your entire purchase

Code: ongift

Expires 9/28/13

Levis - Buy One Get One 50% off!

Code: FALL50

Call it Spring - $15 off Dress Shoes for Women

Valid for a limited only, no code needed

Halloween Crafts: Pumpkins and Ghosts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Sep 2013 05:46:00 +0000

The girls think Halloween is so much fun. It's spooky, it's dress up, trick or treating, and candy. I also want it to be remembered as a time for fun creative crafts.

Simple Cut Out Pumpkins

Materials

Orange construction paper

Black construction paper

Scissors

Glue

Directions

Draw a shape of a pumpkin on orange paper
Using scissors, cut out the pumpkin shape. Kids be careful!
Draw your eyes and nose, be creative. I just used triangles because it was a last minute idea.
Using glue, glue your face pieces to the pumpkin cut-out

I let the girls glue and place the shapes on their own. I had to do some adjusting, but they were proud of they did it on their own! My girls also insisted on placing their pumpkins on our spider web decor.

Ghosts

Materials

Old white t-shirt

Cotton balls

Pipe cleaners

Black permanent marker

Small safety pins

Ribbon or string

Scissors

Directions

Using an old white t-shirt and scissors, roughly cut out a piece about the size of your two hands, it doesn't have to be perfect
Place about 3-4 cotton balls in the center of your cut out t-shirt
Wrap the shirt over the cotton balls and using the piper cleaner as a neck base. You will need to trim the piper cleaner and wrap it carefully to tuck in the sharp edges
Puff up and poof out the head of the ghost
Using permanent marker, make a scary face
To hang your ghost, safety pin the top of the ghost's head and then tie a ribbon or string to the safety pin

Happy Crafting!

Halloween: Favorite Time of Year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 19:27:00 +0000

Inexpensive and Spooky Decorations

Our family is a little TOO excited for Halloween, it's not even October yet and we already have decorations up. I noticed the neighbors had two pumpkins out so I was ecstatic to let the girls know we would be putting up decorations. They were jumping for joy, however if we have playdates over, I'm not sure if their friends will be too scared to come inside.

Our decorations are from the dollar store and Walmart. Who knew the dollar store would have so many spooky halloween items?

Outdoor Decorations

Pumpkins, Walmart | Spider webs (came with spiders), frankenstein, skeletons, bats, and the witch, Dollar Tree

Indoor Decorations

If you look closely there are spiders on the door, they have suction cups that stick to glass

These light up!

Suction cup spiders & paper lanterns, Dollar Tree | Small pumpkin lights, Walmart

Halloween Costumes

Playing Dress Up

Kylie's Wonder Woman costume was delivered to our door when Lana, their cousin came over to visit so we decided to pull out our other super hero costumes for play time dress up.

Kylie is Wonder Woman , Amazon | Lianna is Super Girl (old) | Lana is Spider Girl (old)

2013 Halloween Costumes

Catwoman, Party City | Batman T-shirt, Amazon

Party City currently has a promo code -

FREE SHIPPING and Save 20% on orders $60+

PCSAVE20

Happy Halloween Shopping!

Picture Playtime Before Bedtime

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 05:04:00 +0000

"Children make your life important." - Erma Bombeck

Having some fun with my girls before bedtime after Daddy fell asleep on us after face time lol, I should've taken a snapshot of his picture.

Looking super intense, I'm really impressed how well Lianna works the computer.

Not exactly sure if that's a good thing.

Aww.....Best Friends Forever!

This is a perfect example of how different and unique their personalities are

Goodnight and Sweet Dreams!

Crisp Korean Flava Chicken Wings + Brussel Sprouts

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 05:04:00 +0000

The hubs works a lot :( and when he is home I make it a priority to cook him a nice homemade meal. I'd say he is pretty lucky to have me as a wifey hehe.

I like to cook chicken wings because they are quick and easy. I chose brussel sprouts because I had the pleasure of having these AMAZING life changing tasty green balls at Uchi in Houston. Uchi began in Austin and recently has been featured as #10 as one of the best 25 restaurants in the Huffington Post and described as "The Best Little Sushi House in America."

First off, I'm horrible with measurements. I always observed my Mom's home cooking and she just threw ingredients here and there and this is how I created this dish, but I did try to provide measurements for you.

INGREDIENTS

About 8 chicken wings
1 bag of brussel sprouts
1 tablespoon of peanut oil
4 cloves of garlic finely diced
3 stems of green onion finely chopped
Garlic salt
Black pepper
2 and half squeezed lemons for lemon juice
4 tablespoon of soy sauce
3 tablespoon of fish sauce
2 teaspoons of Sugar
Honey
Cilantro for garnish
White Jasmin Rice
2 cups of korean bbq marinade, I usually get mine from an Asian Food Market

DIRECTIONS

1. Season the chicken wings by generously sprinkling garlic salt and black pepper on both sides. Ugh I hate handling chicken, make sure to wash hands thoroughly after handling your poultry.

2. In a 1 gallon zip-loc bag, combine half of the finely diced garlic, green onion, 2 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, and 2 cups of korean bbq marinade. I can smell that sweet and savory flavor coming to life.

3. Place chicken wings in zip loc bags and let it marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Turning bag over at 15 minutes. That doesn't look pretty.

4. While the chicken is marinating, rinse brussel sprouts with water and dry them with a paper towel. Cut off stems and for larger sized brussel sprouts, cut them in half.

5. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine brussel sprouts, remaining garlic, lemon juice, peanut oil, 2 tablespoon of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, lemon juice and sugar. Sprinkle generously with garlic salt and black pepper. Toss gently.

6. Place brussel sprouts on a pan covered with aluminum foil. Make sure to scrape all that garlic. Drizzle with honey for some extra sweetness. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, tossing once.

7. Remove chicken wings from refrigerator and place in a baking pan. Keep marinade and set aside. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 -25 minutes turning over once and baste with marinade (see step 9)

8. Place chicken wing marinade in a pot and cook to kill any germs and stir occasionally. Boil on medium low for 5 minutes. Pour marinade in small mixing bowl. Look at that yummy goodness. This is used to baste your chicken wings for extra intense flava! Don't let it go to waste!

9. Once chicken wings and brussel sprouts are cooked through, turn broiler on low and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes turning occasionally until browned nice and crispy. For chicken wings, garnish with cilantro and chicken wing drippings. Serve with white rice and devour!

Finger-linkin Asian Flava!

For ultimate eating pleasure, this dish requires absolutely no utensils

Stale Bread = Decadent Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 04:05:00 +0000

I absolutely LOVE LOVE bread pudding. My first experience with bread pudding was introduced by my husband. He insisted it was the best dessert everrrr. I fell in love with Ruggles White Chocolate Bread Pudding. OMG I had foodgasm in my mouth.

While making my bread pudding I had Ruggles' Bread Pudding in the back of my head.

My recipe came from All Recipes with some little tweaks:

INGREDIENTS

Original recipe makes 1 - 8 inch square pan

6 slices day-old bread
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

I used about 7 rolls of stale Hawaiian bread, I used less sugar, ran out of vanilla extract so I used maple extract and a tad bit of almond extract and sprinkled white chocolate morsels.

DIRECTIONS

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Break bread into small pieces into an 8 inch square baking pan. Drizzle melted butter or margarine over bread. If desired, sprinkle with raisins. I didn't have any raisins on hand.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Pour over bread, and lightly push down with a fork until bread is covered and soaking up the egg mixture.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top springs back when lightly tapped.

Last minute I decided to crumble a mixture of brown sugar, butter, and almonds on top since I used some almond extract then I baked.

Ta Da!

Divine and Decadent

The almonds gave it a special light crunch. My dad had 2 servings because it was so good.

Happy Baking!

Yay Daddy is Home!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 03:28:00 +0000

My husband is finally back from his mission trip in Colombia. After picking him up from the airport we surprised him with a belated birthday gift!

However while Daddy was taking a shower, Lianna couldn't resist.

Kylie actually fell asleep during the car ride, so she wasn't up to participating
(see my sleepy babygirl in the back?)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Daddy's Birthday Gifts

We created a handmade birthday storybook
2 photo albums using Shutterfly. Book 1 are pictures from Disney Cruise back in February and Book 2 are spring pictures at the park. I prefer Shutterfly because they have pre-made pages for you = less work! Your first photobook is free and you can use more than one offer. Search for promo codes!
Pre-ordered FIFA 14 PS3. FIFA is a soccer game hence the soccer birthday cake thanks to my neighbor HEB. Daddy's favorite and only video game he plays. Unfortunately, when it arrives Daddy will get addicted and will play for hours :(

Dance Through Life

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 06:33:00 +0000

Recital = Excited + Nervous

Earlier today my girls had dance class (ballet & tap). We recently signed up with the YMCA. I'm excited the girls will be performing in a Christmas Recital, however I'm a little nervous.

What if my girls are the only dancers who stumble on their dance steps?

Moms, do you have these feelings too?

We always want our children to shine and we aren't suppose to compare, but sometimes you can't help it.

Their instructor is awesome and the girls have so much fun, at the end of the day that's really all that matters!
I definitely do not want to be one of those moms on the reality shows like Toddlers and Tiaras or Cheer Perfection.

I regret not being involved in any extracurricular activities when I was a child so I want my children to have that opportunity and that consistency where they can excel with motivation especially in something they enjoy doing and may grow to love.

The National Dance Educational Organization says dance is a powerful ally for developing many of the attributes of a growing child. Dance helps children mature physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively. The physical benefits of dance are widely accepted, but the emotional, social and cognitive attributes have only recently begun to be appreciated.

Lianna + Kylie

Oh So Cute & Affordable Leotards + Tutus
You know those irresistible local dance stores with those fancy ballet dresses? They can be expensive and you can't just purchase one dress, right? You want your little one to look fabulous so why spend a fortune when they will outgrow them anyways.

Take a look at my favs ~

Discount Dance Supply has a $2.95 flat rate shipping. Dancewear Solutions' shipping varies by item and zip code. I'm all about free shipping and free returns and unfortunately these sites do not offer them :(

Currently Target is offering buy 4, get the next one FREE and if you spend $50, you get free shipping. Free returns online and you can return your online purchases to your local store.

Walmart is by far the best priced. Free shipping on eligible $45 orders with home free. Walmart also offers free returns online and you can return your online purchases to your local store.

Happy 30 Years Young Daddy!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 20:34:00 +0000

Today marks the day of my husband's 30th birthday. Currently my husband is travelling with an organization called Healing the Children which helps children to teens who are born with a cleft palate. He is visiting the country of Cucuta, Colombia. This is his first travel out of the country without me and his very first mission trip. No words can describe how amazing and life changing this journey will be for him. We are so proud Daddy took this time to help these children have a brighter future and a brighter smile.

I'm sure most of you have witnessed the commercials for Operation Smile which is a similar organization, I visited the site because I wanted to learn more about the cleft palate condition. Did you know every 3 minutes, a child is born with a cleft. Cleft lips and cleft palates can threaten both the life and livelihood of the child.

What causes cleft lips and cleft palates?
The exact cause is unknown. Cleft lips and cleft palates are congenital defects that occur early in embryonic development. Scientists believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as maternal illness, drugs or malnutrition, may lead to a cleft lip or cleft palate. If one child in a family is born with a cleft, the risk increases by 2 to 4 percent that future children in the family will suffer from the same defect.

Can cleft lips and cleft palates be prevented?
Scientists are researching methods to prevent cleft lips and cleft palates. One finding, according to research studies, is that mothers who take multivitamins containing folic acid before conception and during the first two months of pregnancy may reduce their risk of giving birth to a baby with a cleft.

Does a cleft lip or cleft palate cause problems for a child?
Ear disease and dental problems occur frequently, as do problems with proper speech development. Children who suffer from a cleft lip and/or cleft palate may have difficulty eating. To address these issues, a child and family may work with a team of specialists — a pediatrician, a plastic surgeon, dental specialists, an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist), a speech-language pathologist and audiologist, a geneticist and a psychologist/social worker.

In the future, I hope to join my husband in his mission trips.

“For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.

People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands,
one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.”

― Sam Levenson

We are counting down the days until Daddy's arrival home.

We miss you dearly and love you so very much!

Fall Fashion for My Little Fashionista

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 07:09:00 +0000

My first post. Nervous. Excited. Anxious.

Yes, I'm a newbie. Yes, I'm still learning. Yes, it's late at night. Yes, the kids are soundly asleep.

Yay! ME time.

I Heart Online Shopping

Lianna, my oldest daughter whom is 4 years is constantly growing out of her clothes and I don't realize it until I'm putting on a shirt that's a bit too small for her. I absolutely LOVE online shopping, but my husband isn't too happy about it.

It's so convenient and you can take your time browsing because going out shopping with a 4 and 3 year old can be a challenge.

Key Factors I Look For When Shopping Online

Free returns or exchanges whether it be online or to a local store
Free shipping
Promo codes
Reviews

One of my fav places to shop for the girls is Old Navy. When I shop, I have a habit of instantly clicking on the SALES and CLEARANCE links, I'm a sucker for discounts.

20% promo code ONTREAT (excludes Everyday Steals), expires 9/18. Free shipping with a purchase of $50.

Happy Shopping!