Just What The Doctor Ordered

As I mentioned in the my last post this past semester has been quite a doozie for me. But, the Lord was so gracious in allowing me to spend what seemed like a month in Corpus Christi with my family this holiday break! I drove down in my trusty steed 'Betsy' with Big Mike in tow (of course). And when I got there I hit the ground sprinting and the majority of my break in Corpus I was welcomed back to Bourbon Street Candy Company to work, and boy did I work; a huge blessing nonetheless! I took the last few days off and just tried to jam as many things as I could in before I had to go back to good 'ol Denton. I had many a things on my list and whether I conquered them or not you may never know. But, what really happened goes as follows:

My best friend, Stacha, flew into the sparkling city but the sea on Friday afternoon! Just as she flew in there awaited a group of friends ready to help their nervous friend propose to his girlfriend. We all waited for Carissa for 15 minutes she still hadn't come-15 minutes we can't get back (I hope she said 'yes'). After the first day my family adopted her in...maybe a little too much (they were replacin' me at some points). Sheesh. We sweated our buns off during Just Dance 4 while my sister beat us at practically every song! We went on tons of missions to find certain clothing/accessory items. We drove down Ocean Drive to see the infamous Selena statute. And she even got a nice tour of Corpus, if I do say so myself, thanks so my lovely sense of direction. We watched a total of 5 new movies which included Le Mis and Dejango. On New Year's Eve we had a little shindig at our house and played games.

And watched our neighbor's illegally lit fireworks in excitement. On our last full day we celebrated one of little sister's birthday at Red Lobster; it's her choice of restaurant every year and topped it off with another movie. We slept for four hours and we were slowly on our seven-ish hour drive to Denton in my new stud of a car, 'Job'! Uh-huh a new car. My mom had surprised me with a car for my birthday!! Greatest birthday present ever, but not as great as the most selfless wonderful mom a girl could ever have!!

As for this seven-ish hour road trip...I have to say that I did not have any expectations really for this road trip so they were quite exceeded by the end.

A couple of highlights:

Jammin' out to some old skool songs ranging from the 80's, 90's, and early 2000's like: Aaliyah, Keith Sweat, DMX, Chingy, one hit wonders I can't even remember the names of.

Realizing we missed our only Buc-cee's chance, five hours later.

Ensuring everybody in the car had a pleasant drive by helping Big Mike sleep using an anonymous OTC drug.

...and the Jack of all trades moment!
Stopping at the Collin Street Bakery. We chose our 3 cookies and took them to the counter to pay. With our wallets in hand we carefully recite the names of our cookies to the cashier. And 10 awkward seconds of staring later he says the names of them back to us(in his tryin' to have game but doesn't voice) and pushes the bag toward us leading us to realize he's giving them to us for free. As we are walking to the car Stacha tells me that on her way to the bathroom he gave her a little winky-wink. He loved her. He didn't even ask for her name. *shrugs*

We happily ate our cookies and went on our way. That was a $1.74 we didn't have to spend. Not too long after, we made it safely back to the little D.

I couldn't have had a better break. Praise. The. Lord.

Guess Who's Back?

Per usual I write one blog and take a year sabbatical before I write another. And when I decide to write-YOU'VE MISSED A WHOLE YEAR OF MY LIFE! And in a panic I don't know where to start on the updates without writing a novel. Ok. Got it. Let's just do this:

1. I have since become less enthusiastic about couponing.

2. I have since left Bath and Body Works. Worked at David's Bridal. And currently working at a sweet little shop by the name of Denton Square Donuts.

3. I have moved into a wonderful house and even gained a best friend (who is also a blogger, Stacha's blog) in the process.

4. I am still going in college in Denton; closer to graduation!

5. I had another birthday! (thanks to another BFF's avid blogging desire here's proof: 'Feliz-Cumple-Alicia')

6. I got the cutest dog in. the. world. Meet Big Mike Beethoven Simba Wishbone Zahzu Mogli Meeko (no last name...yet!).

7. I got my nose pierced.

8. I got into a mean car accident. I miss my old car. Thankful for my new one.

9. 1 year and 2 months, 13 boards, and 1,308 pins later...I still love Pinterest just as much.

10. My love for math has not changed one bit.

11. I went to Virginia to visit my family. (...even Jamestown, what up!) <---that was the teacher in me.

12. As the year is coming to a close, this year has been the hardest yet best year of my life. God is who He says He is. I have seen much of Him this year! My heart rejoices in Him. Take a gander and dwell a little while on these: Isaiah 41:9-10. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. Jeremiah 17:7-8, 31:3. Deuteronomy 4:24.

Here's to hoping that this year will be full of my blogs! Until next year, friends!

Couponing, but not so extreme

I don't really know about you but my amazement and the boggling of my mind have yet to end no matter how many times I watch the show "Extreme Couponing". Starting with balance of $800 at the grocery store and couponing it down to a final balance of $2.16, I mean who wouldn't be shocked?...well besides those extreme couponist.

To be honest, I do not want to be an extreme couponer for various reasons like: I don't have 20+ hours to devote to cutting, separating, and blah blah, as well as the lack of desire to keep a ridiculous "stock pile" that would last me and my family until the day I die. Nonetheless, I do love to save money on things when I can, who doesn't right?



So, I got into one of my moods and started to Google coupons for the grocery stores I shop at and I stumbled upon a couple of really resourceful couponing sites. I have subscribed to these websites and they send me so many great coupons every day. I know "every day?" you ask? I thought it would be annoying too but, I have already saved so much money on these deals-I find it the least bit of annoying.

And now the moment you have all been waiting for....drum roll, please!


Coupon Connections
Couponing101


I hope this inspired you to become a couponer (an extreme or not so) either way you are getting the bang for your buck and adding more to your savings!

I am Your servant come to bring You glory

As some of you may know I have been going through a steps program through my church. When I first signed up for this program I was as nervous and anxious as someone can get. I was ready to be drained (emotionally and physically) from my past, present, and future sins. I was afraid of admitting that I had some problems I had never shared with only a select few and let alone to a whole group. Like I said nervous and anxious by what I had heard from previous member who had gone through it.

Well, all of those fears have yet to conquer me. Though this has been a struggle between me and the enemy though! Steps is a pretty big thing to be doing for the Lord, a closer relationship, and more sanctification, more glory to God; that doesn't sound like something the enemy absolutely enjoys. Some struggles that can be prayed for are: my time with the Lord, a strong desire to be with him and in the word especially when I'm tired, and for me to be obedient. When I go through inventories of my resentments/hurts and fears its hard not to feel the hurt and get emotionally again when He reveals those strongholds that I have actually stored away and not really put to death.

As I go through the daily devotionals and the going deeper questions I feel like I learn something new like of my pride (alot of my pride), sexual immorality, guilt and shame, and forgiveness. I am also reminded of his abundant grace and mercy for me, my goodness, a-bun-dant! Being revealed my sins and having to confess and deal with them is not a punishment, it's a reminder of his redemption of my life and soul. It's a reminder of my need for Him and his everlasting for me. My past, present and future sins being confessed and not just cleaning on the surface but deep deep down in the dark of my heart there is one thing that I am constantly being reminded of is that he can has redeemed it all! There is nothing in that I have and will do that Jesus has not already bought with his saving and perfect blood, nothing.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present not future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God this is in Christ Jesus our Lord."-Romans 8:38-39

Pinterest anyone?

So, my new favorite thing? You guessed it, Pinterest!

When I was first introduced to this wonderful website I was spending time with my lovely friend Shauna Lynn. She said have you ever heard of Pinterest? and I said no, what's that? Shauna being the great friend that she is pulled up the app on her iTouch and explained to me how this addiction works!

Let me say...SO COOL!!!

1 week, 12 boards, and 546 pins later...

How many ideas that I have or had suggested to me all in one place and never forgotten by me again. I get to physically see ideas for my future classroom and activities for my students. I have also found some "goldmine" of other first grade teacher blogs that I am now following! As you know I love crafts, and on pinterest there are so many crafts...and now (yes, you're catching on) all in one place! Another bonus, being a college student I also have the ingredients to make my own cleaning supplies and laundry detergent for some much cheapest and the same exact effect as the store brands. I have also been recently been on a hunt for a recipe box that I can "make-over" to keep my recipes in. Now that I have found I can keep my recipes all in one place my hunt is now less frantic.

I'm sure I can go on about how cool Pinterest is, but I will take part in your new addiction by providing not one but two links in this blog for you to click on!

Pin recipes. Pin crafts. Pin random junk. Pin your future house. Go forth and pin my friends!

Click here to check out my boards and follow me