Advent Study

So I have decided I would join in on another bible study session with Good Morning Girls.  

I did one over the summer and LOVED it but failed to complete it.  

So here we go AGAIN ...

http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/

This is a 4 week Advent Study-Keeping Our Focus on Jesus.  I think this will be good because I truly believe that the true meaning behind Christmas has been lost.  It is very important to me to always remember and have it said in our house what Christmas is truly about so that when we fill our home with children they will know what that day is really about!

If you're interested in joining in go to www.GoodMorningGirls.com and read a little more about them and what this Study will offer and if you decide its for you then subscribe to their emails and you will receive your free eBook so you will be able to join in!

I am hoping to be able to post once a week about my studies and possibly have a button so we can do a link up!

Hope you join along on this study to Focus on Jesus this Holiday season

Nativity

In appliance love

Well here's another one to home ownership! 

 *cheers*

While cooking dinner last Sunday and enjoying a bottle of wine, we heard a "tick" I thought it was the lid to my pot I had placed on the stove about to break so I removed it and put it in the sink and heard "tick" we'll shit now I'm confused! Then all of a sudden it gets faster "tick tick tick" ... "tick tick tick tick" ... And I look at the stove and all the burners were sparking like they were trying to light.

Ahhh of course I freak out thinking my house is gonna blow up so we reach around and unplug it from the wall. Thinking it rest it self, we plug it back in and it kept sparking, well seeing as we were in the middle of cooking dinner we had to finish so we dealt with the "tick tick tick" and finished our dinner quickly then unplugged the stove.

After dinner we took apart the stove to see that the mice had found their way into the stove top (again) and made a nice home.

*BOO*

So of course we were both beyond discussed that we didn't realize this earlier ..

So bye bye old nasty stove and hello new one :)

I was made we had to buy a new stove when we needed a dishwasher or fridge but I cook every night so its a necessity.

I love our new one way better 

Its the simple things in life that make me happy.

Baby Fever

Well every where I turn its like guess who's pregnant?, we're having a ..., baby this baby that.

I'm going to SCREAM!

For my whole life my dream has been to be a wife and a mother.

For almost a year I've been off birth control (bc) and nothing has come of it. We're not really trying but still what's up?

Since I knew "how you get pregnant" I've always had a feeling, strong feeling, it would be very hard or not possible at all for me to get pregnant. Just a feeling I have never actually been told that. 

Now to add to my fear I've been hearing and doing research about the HPV Vaccine Gardasil and the damage it has done to many girls. I was given this shot a few years back as well as tested positive for HPV and had a procedure done to remove the abnormal cells that were cause from a form of HPV.

Well so the damage that has happened to girls who have revived this shot which by the way is given to girls as young as 11. Yes 11, just blows my mind. We do not believe in vaccines (this will be another post) so I don't have to worry about this for our children. Anyways Gardasil has been the cause of death in almost 50 young girls, it made a young girl in Australia infertile, and has been the cause of ovarian cysts and infertility. This is very scary and makes me want to go out and get all the tests done to make sure things are ok down there!!

I tell myself it will happen when it's suppose to. There is a time for everything. But I say that because I'm hiding my true feelings and honestly I'm scared to death .. Scared beyond words. I really do hope it will happen when it's suppose to but deep down I'm worried.

Sorry for this ramble of a post I had to get all my thoughts out cause I'm going to flip out.

I'm truly happy for all my friends who are pregnant and those about to have their babies, even in my sad days I truly and happy for them all but I'm still sad it's not us.

I'm sick of people saying "it will happen when it's suppose to." Or "I thought you two wanted to be married first? Why would you be considering a kids now?" And "you're still so young, you shouldn't worry" .. I want to tell them all to just shut up. Gah

Christmas in Hawaii

Looks like this Christmas we will be spending it in Hawaii with my boss and their family!

I'm looking forward to it .. in a way.

There is a slight chance Steven will not be able to join and honestly if he doesn't I'm not so sure I can bare going there with out him and spending Christmas alone.

Disney Hotel

this will be our home for one week 

Id take it only if I can have my man with me.

This place is beyond beautiful AMAZING!

Hotel's Beach

It will be an adventure as we will have all 4 kids with us so I'm not sure how much alone or "adult" time we will get but I know if Steven comes we will have a blast.

I can just see us walking along the beaches, exploring a land so new to us that might make us never want to leave :)  So many possibilities of great adventure

I get very excited to think about the "Christmas" we will have in Hawaii and honestly until we have kids I think its the best way to spend Christmas.  Never been to fond of the holiday, many people have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas and think its all about the presents. 

So we will see what happens in the next few months and hopefully you will be seeing pictures of the fun we had and mine and Steven's first real vacation together!

Love or wifely duties?

What do you ladies do for you man/husband every day?

My every day..

work out
shower

make coffee/tea

make lunch

make breakfast

run off to work for 10 hours 

come home

make dinner

light cleaning

laundry

go to bed

for over three years now I have played the wife role without even being the wife.

some days it's tiring but I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

I hear many guys talk about how there are not woman out there that do these things for their man.  Some times I just cannot understand why not.

Not only do I get satisfaction that I can take care of my family but he loves that he gets a home cooked meal every night and a delicious lunch to take to work!  I'm pretty sure he is the only one of his friends that wife does this for them! 

*excuse me while I pat myself on the back, because yes, Yes I do deserve it!*

So men there are still some woman out there that take care of there men like they should!

I wasn't raised this way, no one every told me the woman's role is in the home to cook, clean and raise children but I have always believed this!

Will it ever get easier?

I try my hardest to be positive .. these days I feel like its a joke

Money isn't everything .. you cannot take it or the material things with you when you die.  

We don't want to be rich but we would like to be comfortable. 

Lately I feel like ..

we cannot catch a break.

The batterie in the truck dies .. $100

Credit Card has to be paid off next month .. $1000

Down stairs toilet breaks .. $100

Personal expenses due to horrible insurance .. $800

Transmission in the car .. $1000

I love my life with Steven I wouldn't ask to change it, just some days I wish it were easier or I knew how to deal with it better.

Im 25, aren't I suppose to be enjoying life right now?

Excuse me while I step outside and scream 

FALL AUTUMN which ever you want to call it

So as summer is coming to an end

I am both sad and ecstatic!

Fall is my favorite time of year! There are so many wonderful decorations, fun activities and delicious food to indulge in and most of all super cute clothes!

How could you not love Autumn when this is what comes with it 

[Breathtaking]

So I'll share some of the beautiful decorations that I hope to make and buy to decorate our home for its first Fall Holidays!

[Tacky Pumpkins]

[Fall Wreath]

[Pumpkin Carving Party]

Pretty sure these ladies dress scarfs and boots are AMAZING! 

[Scarfs and Dresses]

 How could you not want this beautiful thing on your porch?!

[Monogrammed Pumpkin]

Our Story

So Ive been meaning to share how the Mr and I met.  It has been hard deciding what to put in and what not but then I remember when I decided to start this blog I was going to be up front and honest and not hide anything.  This might be a rambling post but Ill try not!

Back in 2005 I met Steven, at the time he had just started dating my "best friend".  I put that in quotes because I was always a better friend to her than she ever was to me! Any ways when she introduced us I knew from that moment that he was way to good for her.  She had a bad rep with guys she dated in the past; cheating, lying blah blah blah and I knew he was a good cowboy.  Anyways I stopped talking to her that October and we never spoke again.  Ill keep this short because it is about Steven and I not her even though with out her bad little self I probably never would have met him.

Jump forward 4 years and a few blind dates later ..

A friend of mine text me out of the blue July 14, 2009 (Steven's 21st birthday).. "Hey you will never guess who I am hanging out with."  I of course had to think for a moment because she is 3 years younger than me, I had no idea who she might be hanging out with.  I asked "Who?" and she said "Steven, Marissa's ex."(I never call her by her name)  I said "oh they are not together? Give him my number and tell him to call me sometime." She said "Ok" and that was that.  Never heard from him.  About a week later she text me saying she was with him again so I told her the same thing "give him my number and hit a girl up sometime!"  Hahaha yes I actually said that .. but it worked because he started texting me right then.  We talked for over 3 hours catching up.  Then he said the next night (Friday) that him and some friends were going to the local bar and that i should come hang out.  So of course I said yes, but I was going to dinner with my girlfriend then I would come out after.

When I got to the bar that night I called and told him I was there and he said he would come meet me outside.  In my mind I was thinking this would never go past being friends because of the awkward way that we knew each other.  But for some reason my stomach was filled with butterflies, I had no friend to lean on and make me laugh.  I walked up to the entrance staring at the ground (so I wouldn't trip) and having to give myself a pep talk because I was so nervous! Well I looked up and there he was with a huge smile on his face!  All my nerves just went away and I couldn't stop smiling.  I guess deep down I really wanted to be more than just friends.  He is the sweetest gentleman in the world and I guess it helps that he's good looking!

Well I met all his friends that night who were all sweet as could be (Thank you lord)!  He came to the bar with a few of them and they were getting ready to leave I guess he was having a good time with me because he asked if I was going to stay longer and if so if I minded taking him to his tuck later that night.  I said of course because I was having such a great time and didn't want the night to be over so soon!  We stayed at the bar till it closed (2am) and we talked the whole ride to where his truck was!

We hugged and said good night and he would call me the next day.

Well obviously he did and we hung out every day after that.  In September we went to a fundraiser dinner for his moms drill team and when we were working the ticket table he passed me a note.  It said "Will you go out with me check yes or no" and it even had the little boxes to check and of course I said yes.  I knew then I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him.  I don't think he felt the same way but I didn't care.  That was the sweetest thing any one has ever done for me and some might laugh because we were 21 and 22 at the time and that's stuff kids in high school do but you know what I  love every minute of it!

It has been 3 years since that meeting and I couldn't ask for a better guy to be sharing my life with.  I will not say our life is perfect I don't think "perfect" exists but it is our version of perfect and we wouldn't change it for a thing.  Life isn't easy and we have sure been through our ups and downs but that is what true love is to me and I wouldn't want to deal with life with any one else by my side then him.

He makes me cry, smile, laugh and dream of things I never thought were possible!

I love you Steven Marcus <3

I hope that wasn't too rambly (yes i just made that a word!)

25 a strange age ..

So I'll be 25 in a month and it has really gotten me thinking about life! I use to always think I'd be married with child by now, I am not but 3 years ago I did find the man of my dreams and we own a home a home now and are planning our future together!i love him with all my heart and couldn't imagine my life with anyone else. He is the most amazing man in the world (to me at least!) I was just thinking about how still at this age I continue to find out who my real friends are. It sucks because I want to have that one friend whom I can share everything with! I already do that with Steven but you also need that girl to be able to share moments with and get advice from. I have a good handful of girlfriends and I love them do much but I am not super lose with any of them and I hate it. I don't have that fiend whom I have known since I was little and I do not talk to any one I went to high school with. I have lost many friends in the last two years and it sucks, I have realized they are not longer in my life because they are not true friends, too into drama and do not have the same values as I do. It's for a good reason that I have decided not to be friends with these people but at the same time it hurts. I want that girl friend that I can be excited about my wedding with or raise our babies together and I often wonder if that will happen. Life is crazy how it works and things fall into place. I need to remember that everything happens for a reason and people are placed in our lives to either be there for us and bless our lives or to show what we deserve and remind us of what is most important! I have had the opportunity to find the love of my life and embrace our future together and that is what I plan to do. If people can not understand my life and my decisions that is their problem and not ours. We are the happiest we have ever been and get to share our lives with each other and those whom want to be a part of it. Happy Friday everyone I hope you enjoy your weekend!

Interesting article about Pinterest

hmm so how do you feel about this?

Pinterest: Change Your Terms or We’re Leaving

Things Recently Enjoyed!

Happy Monday! (Well happy for most stressful for us)

Here are things we've recently enjoyed

The Ranch

So the Ranch is our home away from home.  It has been in Steven's family for many years and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.  I'm a simple person it doesn't take much to please me I don't like crowds and I just wanna look at beauty forever. 

When we were there a few weeks ago I made sure to take a lot of pictures of everything so I can share what I talk so much about!

This was on our drive to the ranch we left at 4:45am and its a 4 hour drive

The entrance to the Ranch

Where we sleep

The entrance to the bunk house-another bed and the fire place

The bunk house- its just a trailer

My honey waiting to start sorting the cattle!

Steven and Luke getting ready to rope - Steven did Team Roping in High School he's still got it

Dragging the cafe closer

Ready to brand and vaccinate - oh and castrate!

Last picture before we left to head home

Off the deck of the main house

This place is never ending 13,000 acres of this :) Gods land



This is a panoramic view of the Ranch House .. it is really hard to see I should have taken earlier in the day

I just love this place

I am always at peace here and hate to leave.  I cannot wait to be able to bring our children here to share this amazing place with another generation.

Growing Up and Life Changes

This post is going to a big jumble of my thoughts and hopefully help me to not be so stressed out and in a funk.

Steve and I met my parents at Happy Garden (Chinese) Wednesday night for dinner.  We got there first and ran into an old neighbor of Steve's parents who is a retired cop.  Steve has always been interested in law enforcement but because of his accident in high school that left him with a bad knee and ankle he has never per sued it.  But he spoke with his old neighbor who mentioned that the San Francisco Police Department is about to open enrollment and now its looking like this is going to be an option.

I support him 150% (or more if that is possible) in whatever he wants to do with his life/our future/family!  I know he wouldn't do anything that wasn't right, however I can't but feel .. uneasy.  I love that men and woman put there lives on the line every day to protect us and it takes a special person to do this but I also know the risks that are involved.  San Francisco is a little safer than places in Los Angeles that he could be sent to but I just have so many mixed feelings about the whole thing.  

Fist: SF is 2.5 hours away from the home we just bought.  

I have never spent more that 1 night away from him in 3 years. 

Therefore i would move with him, there is no way

I could only see him on the weekends. 

Second: Just thinking of moving to a new city where I know NO ONE 

is very scary for me.  It honestly makes me nauseous just thinking about it.

Third: All I can think about is the bad things that could happen.  

I know that bad things happen anywhere and blah blah blah

but this is me.

Fourth: I worry about how we would pay for our home here and

then pay for a place in the city.

Fifth:  We are not city people. I know that's not a reason but

I need my country and farm animals!

The only thing I can think of that is a good reason is we would get to start our family and I could stay home and I would be around more people who live organic/holistic lives, which is the way I want to raise our children.

Anyways now that I have put my worries to words I feel a little weight lifted off my shoulders (not much) but at least its not just jumbled thoughts kept to myself.  And as well there is nothing set in stone but if you know me I am an over thinker/worry wart/planner and I hate last minute things so this is to help prepare me for the future if something does happen.  

I cannot help but worry a little if anyone has advice please share I could use what ever I can get.

On a happier side, it is Friday afternoon here and I only had two kids today and we actually had an amazing day.  Sadie had dance then we ran errands to Target (we go there at least 3 times a week!) and the grocery store! Then I took them out to lunch and we enjoyed a yummy lunch on the patio!  

 

This weekend is going to be good were going to family birthday dinner tonight, finishing our room this weekend and going to a crab feed tomorrow night!

I love my man with all my heart and will do anything I need to, to ensure he is happy in life!

Happy Friday Everyone

Our Home!

Since August my husband

(were not married yet but we refer to each other as if we are

and also we call each other by our middle names; Marcus and Beverly)

 ok now with a little background information out of the way we can move along! 

So since August we have been searching for our home and we have been jumping threw hoops for this home and finally as of January 19, 2012 we have a place to call OUR HOME :)

It's a wonderful two story 4 bedroom 3 full bath home.

When we saw it we knew right away it was the place we wanted to raise our family!

But the kicker is this house was TRASHED by the previous tenets ..

So it is in major need of a whole house remodel, here are some before

and during remodel ..

Master Bedroom!

 I love the bay window

Painting our accent wall

I love how it turned out cant wait to finish the rest of the room!

(UPDATE: ended up hating the blue so as we speak were in the middle of a whole new paint job!)

Office

No flooring in office and whole in every single wall ..

The fan was disgusting and dad and Uncle Kerry

put new flooring in for us .. Yay!

New paint and 6" base board make this look amazing!

Oh and were making built in book case in the closet!