Inspire

This week I was reading one of the blogs I follow and she asked  everyone to share the one word to focus on for 2012. My word will be INSPIRE first to be inspired by others and second to inspire others. I have so many people in my life that inspire me to be a better mother, woman and person. I love reading blogs, I have found quite a few over the last couple years. The first one I am going to share with you is a mother who's son has a rare genetic skin disease called "EB", her story is both heart breaking and inspiring. I don't know if I could be as strong as she is watching and waiting for her son to die. Please take a minute and visit her page (I will warn you some of the pictures of her son Tripp are hard to look at): *Cortney's son Tripp passed a way soon after I published this post yesterday. I am so sad for her because she is grieving for her son, although I know he is in a better place and no longer in pain.

http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/

Next is Kelle Hampton she has a little girl with Down Syndrome. I don't know how but every blog post pulls you in and inspires you. She is so creative, she seems to be one of the funnest mom's, she has taking her Nella having Down Syndrome and turned into such a beautiful gift. This past week she posted about a fundraiser for Nella's 2nd Birthday her post was so beautiful it brought me to tears. Below is the link to her blog:

http://www.kellehampton.com/

The following blog is Kellie Staat she and her husband lost their baby girl last year to SIDS. I n the beginning I wasn't sure she would ever recover because her post were so sad. But as the year has gone on and she has since found out she is pregnant with baby Jackson her post have become more positive. I had a very hard time reading about her baby at first due to having a baby close to Maddie's age when she died but I am glad I followed her to see the joy after pain. Below is the link to her blog:

http://kandjstaats.blogspot.com/

"The Mom" Ruth Shultz is the wife of the creator of Yo Gabba Gabba and a mom of four. Her youngest Davy was born with a cleft palette. Ruth is another great mom that makes me want to bet better. I love checking on how Davy is doing or seeing her kids cute style.

http://ruthschultz.blogspot.com/

I follow so many more blogs and I am sorry if I missed you, I just wanted to share a few women's stories that INSPIRE me. I want to live my life to be like these and many other women's lives. I hope to Inspire Layla and Cassandra to grow up to be great women.

Lego's for Girls

I belong to a Birth Board for December 2010 baby's, This week one of the big topics was the new Lego's for girls and how bad they are. I decided to go check them out myself due to all the negative comments. Honestly I could not see the problem. When I was younger I played Lego's with my brother but they weren't my favorite think to play with. Being that I was a girly girl I think I would of found the new girl version a lot funner and more related to me. I have two little girls and we have mainly girly and princess toys in my house. But I don't have a problem raising my girls to be girls. I feel so many people are so worried about influencing there kids one way or another now a days. I played with dolls and grew up fine, I played with my brothers G.I.Joe's and Lego's also. As a matter of fact my brother played Barbie with me quite often and he is fine also. What are children need is us to be in their lives, to spend time with them, run around with them, relate to them, encourage them, and most of all Love them. I will raise my girls to do what makes them happy, last year Layla wanted a Fire Truck for Christmas and that's what she got, this year she wanted a Sponge Bob birthday and again that is what she got. Stop worrying so much and Love your kids, that is all they want.
 http://www.topmommyblogs.com/

2012 I Believe in me!!!

It's a New Year friends, 2012 is here. What are you gonna make of this year ahead of you, what is your resolution or shall we call it a plan? Well I am not usually one to make resolutions or plans for the next year, I like to wait and see whats gonna happen. Although as 2011 came to an end I had tons of great memories, and some less than great ones. I had some of the hardest times in my life last year, I hate to say that since it was the first year of my precious daughters life, but it was Hard.

So here goes my resolutions:

• Lose weight not a little a lot, I have to do this for my back, this is the only way I will continue to have a good quality of life and not rely on pain pills to survive. I want to lose 100lbs, I was on my way before and getting close to my goal weight. I had a baby, but I don't want to be one of those moms ten years later saying I need to lose my baby weight. I know I can do this I am ready!!!
• Jose got me a Nook for Christmas, I think this year I should set a goal to read at least 50 books. Shouldn't be to hard right?
• Get the girls out and to the park more. I want Layla and Cassandra to grow up loving the outdoors like I do. There is nothing that can beat the feeling of spending time outside.
• Hmm... Blog more. I am going to try to keep up my Touch of 365 blog also.
• Service, I need to find ways to help others out more, this is another thing I want to teach my girls.

Okay I thing five goals are enough, this is gonna be work but I can do it, I know I can. I put it in writing, next year I am going to look back and know that I accomplished these things.

Merry Christmas

The Christmas Holiday is in full swing. Everyone is getting ready for their weekend festivities of spending time with there families and friends and enjoying this time of the year. I have to say as a single adult I longed to have a family of my own to spend this season with, I did have my nieces and nephews but it wasn't the same. This year Layla is so interested in Santa and all things Christmas, I have been getting lots of questions, like why was the Santa at the mall different than the Santa that came to my school. I have been wondering in the future years how Cassandra will feel about this season, I want to make some special traditions for her because this holiday is so close to her Birthday. I think i want to do something with Christmas ornaments I am just not sure what yet, hopefully you my friends and family can give me some ideas. I am about to make our Florez Christmas Eve dinner, this has been a new tradition to me for the past 3 years my husbands family always celebrates on Christmas Eve. This year we get to celebrate Christmas day at my mom's (for many years we went to my aunt and uncle's) I am sure Cassandra will be so excited she loves being around a lot of people.

Food Trucks and the Races

On Saturday November 5th we headed down to Santa Anita Horse Race tracks, we had seen a commercial the night before that they would be having food trucks there. We have never done the food truck thing and wanted to try it out. It was a beautiful day as you can see from the pictures.

 Our first stop was at Flavor Rush here Jose wanted to try the Menage Trio (Pulled Pork, Brisket, and Lamb sliders with sea salt strings on top) the taste was really yummy but for $10 kind of small. (Jose tried one before I took the picture so there are only two pictured.

 The next stop was the Ragin Cajun as seen on Food Networks Great Food Truck Race. I wanted to see if this truck lived up to the hype.

 I ordered the 1/2 half shrimp 1/2 catfish Po boy, it was good not to spicy like I was expecting but did had a mustard sauce that I wasn't to fond of. The cocktail sauce was yummy and I dipped my half into it.

 Next stop was the Tornado Potato, I had seen this one featured on MuffinTopzz Blog and wanted to try it. It looked really cool and fun to eat. I got this one mainly for Cassandra since she like french fries. I think I made a bad choice on my seasoning choice. I chose the Truffle Oil version and felt it was way to greasy.

 It was fun for her to eat, although it went from hot to cold almost instantly. There was a truck next to this one with Grilled Cheese that looked to die for but the line was constantly 50 people long, so I didn't try it this time. 

 Our next to last stop was the Flat Iron here I ordered some yummy Bacon Brie Mac and Cheese. It was really yummy but my tummy didn't like it, it hurt after maybe it was a little to greasy not sure.

 Also at the Flat Iron Jose ordered the Oxtail Poutine which he LOVED, it was his favorite food choice of the day. (Not mine I only had one bite.)

 We finished our day with dessert Jose liked this Azteca Delight (Spicy Chocolate Ice Cream). It was chocolaty at first taste and then it had a spicy after taste of cayenne pepper. I didn't like this one either, but I am not a dessert or chocolate person.

 This was a great day we all enjoyed ourselves I had never been to Santa Anita before, I loved watching the horses, although to me they didn't really look like they were running the looked like they were floating since the moved so fast. We only bet on one race and Jose put all our $14 on the horse I chose Boston Baked Bean, well I guess I should not choose horses cause he came in dead last.



Halloween Fun

We visited quite a few Pumpkin Patches during October. We went to Oak Glen and to another one up by my Grandma's house in Northern California. The girls had a lot of fun, Cassandra liked standing by the hay bell. Layla had fun getting her face painted and going to the petting Zoo. On Halloween we went Trick or Treating at the Mall and then in the neighborhood by our house. Layla love Trick or Treating this year she kept saying just one more house. Thanks to Aunt Jenny Cassandra was a sock Monkey. I decided she looked a little to much like a boy so I made her a tutu to go with her costume, she looked so cute and actually liked her costume.

Still Here

Life has been so busy I have so many post to write and a lot to catch up on. I will be back to udate soon. For now I am in Florida for wokr away from my baby and missing her so much. I had a great day in training and learned a lot, one more day tomorrow then back home.

Falling into Fall

  

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, I love the leaves changing and all the fall colors, just kidding that doesn't happen in Southern California. Now a days the stores pass over fall and Halloween for Christmas, there isn't much fall decor out. I love this season, I can't wait for the day when I can really decorate my own place to show how much I love this season. If only I wasn't allergic to Cinnamon I would light the fall candles in my house to top off the decor, but I am allergic to Cinnamon so the pine cones candles and air fresheners will have to skip this house. We started off our fall season this past weekend we took the girls up to Oak Glen to the pumpkin patches, raspberry fields and apple orchards. They had a great time, we go out there a few times a year we don't care the season. Layla loves the petting zoo, she wont let us leave without going in. She actually pets the goats and pigs now. This time she even wanted to ride the pony's. Hopefully we will get to have another adventure this weekend if the weather will cooperate.

Me and my girls.

Layla holding a pumpkin it really isn't as heavy as she makes it look.

San Fransisco Work Trip

I had a business trip up to the bay area one night Jose, Cassandra and I took a little night trip to San Fransisco. We went to the Walt Disney Museum to take pictures of the San Fransisco Bridge, but we were a little to far away, I loved driving away and taking pictures of the houses, buildings and bridges. I figure the people that live her must make alot of money, plus with all the hills they can't help but be skinny. Jose and I ate dinner at the Fisherman's Wharf. The restaurant was pretty good except really Hot!!! like I couldn't wait to leave for that reason. The clam chowder was so yummy, I never part take of this soup cause it is so loaded with calories, I am glad I did since I started dieting this week.  





 On our last night up there my best friend Patricia drove over from Sacramento area, we went to eat at Johnny Garlic's it was so yummy also. Every time I see bacon wrapped shrimp on a menu I want to try it, this was the first time I can say I LOVED the taste. Go figure this restaurant is owned by Diners, Drivens and Dives host Guy Firei. I have been to this restaurant a few times and I have never been disappointed.