Mothers Day Ideas

Mother's Day is only two weekends away! What are you guys getting YOUR mothers? Just looking for ideas! Since I'm a mom too, I'll show you what I am hoping for:)

I LOVE this swing from IKEA and think it would be really cute for my patio outside:)

Please share your ideas, my mom loves everything, so it should be easy, but for some reason that makes it harder??? What are you hoping for? I'd love creative, fun, inspiring, and DIFFERENT ideas!

Shopaholic Sunday - MY FIRST GIVEAWAY! Punchy Scarves!

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE scarves!!! I like thick winter ones, bright ones, patterned ones, polka dot ones, and especially spring scarves! I think they just add that extra little POP to an outfit and make you look polished and put together in a very "she doesn't even know how effortlessly cool she looks" kind of way. I have a couple of favorites - my mom gave me a LOOOOONG 100% cashmere purple scarf from Banana Republic years ago - still one of my most favorite "luxury" items in my closet, a grey and black one with precious fluer de lis on it from my sister Jae, and my newest addition - a punchy yellow one to add a little fun to all the black I wear!

Look how effortlessly chic these ladies above look! Don't they look great? Oh, and a scarf and sunglasses looks AMAZING together, especially on those days where your hair isn't cooperating and you feel a ponytail coming on! I LOVE the brights with the black!

And here are some options for going into the spring/summer - bright punchy colors, even with a tank top - sooooo cute!!! I think I want to try one of those infinity scarves next (like the blue one above)!

And, really, who could be more effortlessly stylish than this lady, don't you LOVE this?!

Here's a cute little option from Old Navy - $10.00, this would be really cute with a white tank or shirt and tattered jeans, and such an affordable way to create a whole new look!

How fun are these polka dots?? - again...we're going for the punchy colors here - spice up an otherwise blah outfit - its so easy!!!! This one's from shopharmonylane.com - $19.00.

So....I am beyond excited to have my first giveaway!!! Leave me a comment telling me about your favorite scarf, or what fun color you'd like to try, and you might just win your very own, and very effortlessly chic, punchy scarf!!!! I'll announce the winner next Sunday!

****I forgot to mention that I will choose the winner through random.org's true random number generator - in case you were wondering!;-) The contest will end Sunday, May 2nd at 5:00pm, so hurry and enter!

Happy Birthday Madre!!!

We celebrated my mom's birthday at PF Chang's Thursday night and had a blast just being with the fam! I started calling her "madre" after my first year of Spanish my freshman year of high school, and well, it just stuck, I've called her that ever since! Here she is with Kade, Kins, and Kai! It was so funny, Kai kept getting jealous of mom holding Kinsley and would pucker out her bottom lip and cry until mom picked her up too! She did NOT want ANYONE else getting HER Grammy's attention!

Oh, and this is funny after my post about my trainer, but I want ya'll to know I'm "REAL" too: if you haven't tried the banans foster with coconut ice cream for dessert at PF Chang's - the next time you are there...it is a MUST - SERIOUSLY...probably the BEST dessert I've EVER put in my mouth!!!!

Mom, I hope you had a spectacular birthday! You are as fabulous as ever! LOVE YOU TONS! LUV LUV!!!!

As promised, I gladly introduce you to MY TRAINER!!!

Ok, so I've been promising to post a picture of my trainer and friend, Amy Thompson!!! She rocks! She is every bit as tough as I need her to be but in a sweet way - if that makes sense! Look at that body! Can't you see why I'm inspired???! There she is...and there I am...at 6:45 in the am, AFTER a one hour workout with her, and with not a stitch of make-up on! Notice the lovely sweat spots on my shirt - that's how hard she makes ya work!!! By the way, I made her flex for this, in her ever so humble way, she couldn't believe I made her do that, but I wanted ya'll to see what I meant!!!

Laugh. Love. Create.

I started a new blog called Laugh Love Create for my artwork. Be patient with me as I get new things painted and put on there. I'm just trying to be more proactive about my art - a new year resolution I'm just now starting in April, but hey, better late than never huh? You can find me at www.laughlovecreate-jara.blogspot.com! Come check it out:)

Happy Earth Day!!!!

Earth Day is tomorrow and it's always one of my favorites for many reasons. One reason is that it's ALWAYS on my Mom's birthday! Happy Birthday Mom - I LOVE YOU!!!!

Another reason it's one of my favorite days is because all week at school we talk about recycling, and our environment, and how we can use things we already have to make new things! I love to walk the halls and peek into classrooms to see just what the teachers have come up with each year! This year I've seen many things - art, windchimes, pretend recycling centers, etc. It's soooo fun!

Each year I try to reuse something to make something new. Here's my project for this year. I've seen these on other sites and have been wanting to try it. I used glass bottles from a local restaurant, sprayed them with red spray paint, added some of my fave chalk board paint, and voila! - cute little "BLOOM" vases!

Have you guys ever recycled anything to make something new that you enjoy? Let me know about it - I'd love to try other ideas!!!

Patio Picnics

I've really been LOVING Spring this year. We've spent a lot of time outside lately, our new house has a ton of landscaping that was thankfully, already here when we got here, and EVERYTHING has been blooming - we have trumpet plants, roses, pink flowered bushes, irises, Bradford Pear trees, etc. It's been gorgeous!

But...my favorite nights are those where we sit out on our patio, eat dinner, and talk! It doesn't hurt to have the most handsome POOL BOY ever too:)!!!

ART SHOW!!!

Kaden had an Art Show at school last night! It was sooo creative! They had all the kiddos art framed and displayed in the cafeteria! Here he is by his turtle art - his is the one on the bottom - pretty talented little fella, eh? We could tell he was really proud of his work - it was precious! You could purchase the art already framed (proceeds going to the school of course), enter to win art supplies, and peruse the other art, including an edible art contest!

Each age group also sang a couple of songs - they sand a few adorable little frog songs like 5 green and speckled frogs, etc. They also did a song that was just beautiful spring music complete with no words, just hand movements! It was really pretty!

Here's my sweet boy - we are sooo proud of him and have really enjoyed this school year!

Boot Camp Update

I promise I will have a picture of my trainer soon! It's going pretty good, I no longer feel the need to vomit like I did the first day:) I have noticed that my mind is sharper throughout the day when I work out in the am. That is....until about 4:00pm when I literally crash and burn, seriously, I haven't napped like this since college:) This boot camp has been good in so many ways. I probably won't think of them all but here are some of the reasons why I'm loving it:

• I feel more confident about myself (at least I'm WORKING on my body, not just sitting around complaining that I could be this...or that, or used to be this...or that).
  
• I'm eating better since there's NO WAY I'm gonna spoil all my hard work, and I do mean HARD, by eating a bunch of junk.
• It's weird but like I said, I have noticed that I think clearer, I get more done during the day and stay on track - this could be because of the eating better too.
• It's kind of been an awakening into getting back to what is good for me in my life - a little less tv, a little more outdoors, and reading, organizing, etc.
• My energy level (besides right at 4pm) is MAGNIFICIENT!
• I'm encouraged by how I'm SLOWLY seeing my body start to change and "remember" (that's muscle memory) how it's supposed to look:)
• And...best of all, since I'm doing it at 5:45 in the am, I am DONE for the day by 7:00 - that's the best feeling ever!!!!
  

Boot Camp

I start tomorrow at 5:45 am. Anyone who knows me knows I AM NOT a morning person. I've done a boot camp before but it was only two days a week, this time its three days, and I plan on doing cardio the other two days! I will post a pic sometime soon of my trainer and friend Amy Thompson - her body is unbelievable - you will see why I am motivated! I will not post my weight, but I will post how many pounds I lose in the coming weeks. I will take all the encouragement I can get - especially to eat right and stay away from sweets - this is my #1 weakness!

I am excited but also scared about the waking up part. I plan to be totally ready the night before so I won't have to think too much, and will be able to get up, put my workout clothes on, and get there! Getting there is half the battle you know!!!!

So...do you guys have any suggestions on where I can find cheap workout clothes - I DO NOT like to spend money in this area, and I WILL NOT pay $25.00 for a workout shirt or shorts! Call me cheap, or thrifty...whatever, I'd much rather wait and spend the money on my new clothes I will hopefully have to buy when its all said and done:) Anyway...wish me luck!

Bunco and Bonbons!

I went to a fabulous party at my church this weekend! It was called Bunco and Bonbons and I'm kicking myself that I didn't get any pics of the decor. Anyway, imagine pink, black, and white decor. There were huge dice made out of cardboard boxes wrapped with pink, black, and white paper, with dice dots painted on, pink paper good, Bunco score cards, table mats for rolling the dice on, etc! On the serving tables were chocolate fountains with all the fixings - angel food cake, marshmallows, strawberries, pretzels, etc. and TONS of other desserts - each lady was asked to bring a dessert. There were over 175 ladies there so you can imagine the choices of sweets. YUMOLA!!!

Here's Me, Jae (my sis), and my Mom

These are some of the precious ladies that I work with at the preschool - we all had SO MUCH FUN!

Me and my good friend Stephanie - she's a doll! - in case you are wondering what's in my hair, it's my sister's new Hair Flair - she makes designer headbands with feathers, flowers, etc. More to come on this soon - SO FUN!

Easter Pictures

It is a tradition to get Easter pictures every year! Do ya'll do this too?
Curtis and I - I love my handsome husband!

Our family - can you tell I'm a little frustrated here? The kids WOULD NOT cooperate - little stinkers!

My sweet Mom and Dad in front of one of my Dad's incredible paintings! I LOVE these two!

Kaden, Kai, and Kinsley in the bubble chair, in their matching outfits:) Kai cracks me up with her cup - she WOULD NOT let us take it away for the pic! Too cute!

Easter Sunday at Mom and Dad's

Saturday we attended our awesome church and an awesome service, complete with that song "I Will Rise" I talked about, a sermon on how if this was your last day, do you know where you would spend eternity?, and more INCREDIBLE music!!! While we were in service the kids enjoyed lessons on the resurrection with puppet skits, etc. and an Easter Egg Hunt. Since we went to our church Sat. we were able to visit the church we grew up in and surprised my mom and dad by going to their church, our "home church". After church on Sunday we went over to Mom and Dad's for lunch:

and searched and found our Easter baskets

and the candy inside

gave Kai her first pigtails

and dyed eggs

It was an all around perfect Easter Day. I just missed my Mawmaw and Pawpaw a little, we used to always go to their house in Houston for Easter growing up - oh, how I wish my kids could have known them! But we had a blast with my Mom and Dad (aka Grammy and Grandaddy), we LOVE being at their house too!

A First

They had their first day in the pool last Saturday! The pool in our backyard! We made a big deal out of it being "their very own pool"! They were giddy - and had not a care in the world that it was FREEZING!!! Can't wait to spend many more days here:) I had to get it on camera, so I can one day compare this pic with those of them as preteens, teenagers, etc.

Happy Easter!

May you be filled with Christ's amazing love this weekend! And may you realize all he did for you long ago on this very day to make a way for you to live life everlasting!

We will be going to church tonight, then to my mom and dad's tomorrow for Easter lunch. I am excited to reflect on all Christ did for me and enjoy being with my family! Our church praise team is singing the song I WILL RISE by Chris Tomlin - click on it on the right on my playlist and TURN IT UP, it'll make you cry!

Easter at New Creation Preschool

Kinsley had her picture taken with a live bunny on Thursday at preschool! She loved it!

Then it was time for the Easter Egg Hunt!

Proud of her hunting efforts!

*** but more importantly than all this, I'm so LOVING the fact that she's also been learning a ton this week about how Jesus died on the cross, was put in a tomb (with a BIG stone), then the angel said, "Jesus is Alive", and now He's in heaven! - her words, along with lots of questions about how he died on that cross, got into that tomb, how the rock got rolled away, and how he went up to heaven - and how she can get there:) I have LOVED having these conversations with her!

Lunch with Kaden again!

Yesterday Curtis had off for Good Friday, so we went to lunch at Kaden's school. He invited his sweet friend J. J. to eat with us. She is adorable, very friendly, talkative, and sweet! It was so cute to see his excitement when he saw we had both come to eat with him!

Little Kindergartener!

On Wednesday I registered my sweet baby girl for Kindergarten. I can't even describe to you all the emotions that surround me as I think about this. But, when we walked into that school, I was excited!!! Everyone was so sweet and I can't wait to go buy school supplies, smell a new box of crayons, etc. Until then, I'm gonna soak up each day that she is still my baby, well, she'll ALWAYS be my baby, but you moms out there know what I mean! She's getting so big!