25th day of birth

This was me a little over 25 years ago. WOW! 25 years! A quarter of a century. 

Yesterday was my birthday.

I love birthdays. I love holidays. I love anniversaries. I truly enjoy celebrating people. Even if it is not a HUGE blow out party I like doing something to make the other person feel special.

After working all day long, outside, my husband was still able to come home and celebrate me.

He bought me my first wife birthday card.

 And replaced my espresso maker. (My sister got me/us one for Christmas but in the move - - it died. )

 I made a wish while blowing out candles on a cookies and cream cupcake.

Martin enjoyed a strawberry cupcake (his favorite).

It was the simplest birthday I think I have ever had but I loved it.

Earlier in the day my friend took me out to this fun pizza buffet place. It had tons of different types of pizza (including buffalo wing and loaded baked potato!). She bought me a beautiful mug made in Italy and some delicious Italian biscuit/cookies.

I think that it is so important to celebrate each other. To rejoice with them. To tell them "hey! I am happy that you are in my life."  It does not have to cost a lot or even take a lot of time. It just needs to be sincere.



I tend to reflect a lot when my birthday is approaching. (Just like last year) I like to think about where I am at in life and where I thought I would be.
Sometimes I can get down on myself for not doing A,B, and C. Or for being a certain age and not accomplishing certain things that my peers are accomplishing. For not being who society THINKS I should be.
BUT....... when I think about where I am at... apart from other opinions, previous goals, or statistics I am so proud of my life.
I am happy where I am at. (: Yes, I will keep moving forward - learning and growing. But I refuse to allow anything to take what is mine - joy.

 So celebrate someone in your life and find the joy that is yours!

birthday wishes coming true and love. - Monica

♥ . ♥ . ♥

our road trip as Mr. & Mrs.

Martin and i had a lovely New Years Eve. We decided it was FINALLY time to take our first road trip as husband and wife and make the looonnngg (a whole 2 hours) trip to visit my sister. (which we realized when we got there that Martin hasn't been there since BEFORE he left for school in So Cal).

Saturday we woke up with NOTHING ready to go. We weren't packed. We didn't even have clean laundry. I told my sister we would be there AT noon.... needless to say that did not happen.
Martin got up and had to start a load of laundry (which quickly turned into two loads) and get a haircut. I jumped, sprung, slowly got up and started to clean the kitchen so it wasn't a MESS when we returned. After that i hopped in the shower while Martin finished our dirty wet laundry. I had to time to straighten my  hair and do makeup! Its amazing how sslllooowww laundry can take!

Martin bought me this new shirt... i wasn't too sure about it.. but now i think i am in love! I thought i looked like a farmer... but at least i look like a cute farmer! hehe

He actually bought my entire outfit. hehe. He's good. :)

But.. i can give myself credit for my oh-so-simple hairstyle. hehe. :)

After laundry was all finished and tummies were full of food, we headed off.

Our radio doesn't usually work (i think we need new speakers) but for some odd amazing reason it worked the majority of the ride there. So my hubby and i grooved, sang, and were silly for 2 hours.
Being a girl.. i tried to start serious conversations... but he asked if we could just have fun. hehe. :) I agreed and joined him in singing and dancing to the radio. I am glad i have him to remind me to be silly. ;) Although this is him being serious driving..because the roads were starting to get icy.

When we arrived in the mountains the temperature DROPPED! And we were surrounded by beautiful pine trees!

Do you like the crack in my windshield? hehe.. i really need to get that fixed.

When we got to my sister's house my nephew ran as fast as he could to.... Martin. Yup, my husband is apparently his new favorite. hehe. But i still got some hugs and kisses.

But he quickly returned to "Mar-TIN". (he pronounces the 'tin' part very distinctive.. it is soo stinking cute!)

Then he, of course, had to show off all of his new stuff he got from Santa.

He really loved this watch he got. It had a little light and would shine different little aliens on the wall. He would NOT take it off! hehe. And every picture he took he wanted to show it off. lol. He took it off to play with Martin some more and had me wear it. He was all kinds of excited when it fit me. hehe. He made sure to tell everyone around him that his watch "fit Auntie too"!

My sister cooked an amazing meal of tri-tip and crab! Sooo good! and then we had cheesecake and carrot cake for dessert.
My nephew and husband played the (old school) Super Mario Bros game on AJ's gameboy. hehe. My nephew cant really play.. but was amazed when Mar-TIN "beat the game" (he only beat one level.. but AJ was soo happy!)

At about 9:30pm we all headed out to my sister's friends house for a New Year's Eve party. Although stuff like that isn't really my thing... it was still pretty fun.
Of course i probably looked silly with my giant Hello Kitty purse (which Martin eventually put it in the car.. because i kept it on all night lol) and my red cup of the kid's punch. hehe. No shame though. lol. :)
At 11pm we went home because my brother-in-law had to work early the next morning.
At home we watched Dick Clark's New Years Rockin Eve and drank some DELICIOUS Starbucks peppermint hot cocoa with my sister's homemade marshmallow.

That was probably the highlight of New years Eve. I love just snuggling on the couch with hot cocoa! I don't really enjoy "going out". I'd rather hang out and play board games, sipping hot chocolate, listening to music with my loved ones. i know.. i am probably boring. hehe. but i like it.

At midnight we said our happy new years.. and after Martin stopped coughing (he got a tickle in his throat RIGHT at midnight haha) i had my FIRST ever New Years kiss! :) 

It was a really great first New Years as a new wife. :) 

The next morning was the 49er game and so my sister made her brother-in-law an amazing football meal!

She is such a wonderful cook!!! :)

After the game we talked for a little while and packed up and headed back home. :)
Arriving to town the sky was sooo beautiful!!!

We had SUCH a fun road trip together. :)

I am sooo excited for the new 2012 year! My resolution is to continue to get closer to the Lord, be love everywhere i go, and cherish my marriage.

new years, short road trips, and love. - M
♥  . ♥ . ♥

Christmas parties

Well we had a busy little weekend at our house.

Yesterday i worked the morning shift and yesterday evening it was my husband's company Christmas dinner. I was a little nervous about it because i really didn't have anything to wear. Well.. my hubby is wonderful and went out while i was working and bought me a cute little outfit. i was VERY impressed with him.

He also surprised me with Christmas cheer.

 A peppermint mocha in a pretty red cup and the Michael Buble Christmas album is pretty much Christmas spirit all wrapped up! 

I got off at 3pm and went home to get all ready for the dinner. I discovered my new way to do my hair too! I learned how to curl my hair with my hair straightener! I found a video on youtube and i LOVED it!!! My hair is getting longer, but it doesnt really have a style anymore. Curling it just makes it look better! hehe.

Every single thing i am wearing my husband picked out! hehe! I was sooo proud! The best part is that everything fit really well! Which i was nervous about the pant size... but i guess he knows his wife well! haha.


Dinner was really nice! We actually went to the restaurant where we had our first date at. I got to meet everyone that is involved in my husband's work. (& all of their wives). Of course my husband and i were in his and hers outfits. haha. :)



[pictures to follow... but i dont know how to get them off my "new" camera. haha]

Today we had church and football and coffee.

Hubby and i have been talking about finding a new home church. We really LOVE the church that we go to now. We both have been going there for awhile now.. and we love our pastors and what our church stands for.
B U T our church is vveerrryyy big! very very big! You can kind of get lost in the crowd. We both grew up in smaller community churches and we have been wanting to get more involved in the church. We have been praying about it and decided to check out other churches.
We are still going to listen to our current church's services on podcast and stuff though. ;)

Today we checked out a church that my marriage mentors attend. I think we really fell in love. The message from one of the pastors was soo encouraging! He just preached the Bible! Everyone was really warm, inviting, and friendly. (numerous people came up to see us because they "didn't recognize" us and wanted to say hello) The pastor that preached even came up to us after his sermon to talk to us. We talked to another elder in the church about small groups and what their church is about.
I really fell in love. It was a smaller church. They are all about community but have a heart for missions and other countries. And you can tell how much love was there. I think we are going to go a few more weeks (and maybe check out other churches) before we make a full commitment. But i was really happy there. :)

matching outfits, new churches, and love. - M

♥ . ♥ . ♥

what an honor!

Thank you sooo much beautiful Andi for this award! It is such an honor! I am a very very new blogger and i am pleased that other people (besides myself) enjoy reading the silly, crazy, wonderful  lovely things i write. (: I am overjoyed that someone would recommend me to other blog readers - - so thank you!

The Rules: 

Rule #1:Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them:

Once again.. thank you soo much Andi for giving me this versatile award! I enjoy reading your blog very much and all the loveliness that comes from it. (:

Rule #2: Share seven things about yourself.

1) I love all things girly & i say things like "makes my heart smile"

2) I HAVE to clean my entire kitchen before i can cook a meal.

3) Romance should be my middle name. 

4) I adore the taste of soda.. but carbonation can upset my stomach.

5) Hanging out, kissing, cuddling, eating, going out, staying in,  BEING with my husband delights my heart. 

6) I like to dance around my house.. but i don't do it enough.

7) A yummy starbucks can turn my day around. 

Rule #3: Pass the award onto up to 15 bloggers that you have recently discovered:

Since i started blogging more regularly.. i really dove in when i was planning my wedding... i have just fallen in love with reading people's blogs. I am really enjoying getting to know their lives and how they think. (: They inspire me, make me smile, and have me coming back for more! Thank you all for allowing us into your lives even for a moment!

Shawna at Instant Love

Miss N at On My Mind

Erin at Come What May

Jessica and Jessica's Journeys

K M at Come Fly With Me

Ashley at Here's to Happily Ever After

Rule #4: Contact those bloggers and share with them the great news!

hehe! okay! Thank you again for allowing me to get to know you all a little better. (: 

awards, blogging, and love. -M

♥ . ♥ .  ♥