Vlogmas *Christmas*

And after a long night of wrapping, we come to the morning we've all been waiting for! While most of use were still trying to rub the sleep out of our eyes, Cora had hers set on the pile of presents surrounding the tree. She just couldn't wait to tear into it all!
I loved seeing how excited she got over getting a bunch of fox accessories (especially since we share the same favorite animal!) and all her books! I love my little nerd! And Milli's of the age where she understands wrapping presents, but her reactions are always mimicking those around her. "So CUUuuTe!" Lol But besides all of our little ones, what we were all waiting for was Nicky's big gift: a Nintendo Switch! He kept talking to me about how he wanted to save up and buy himself one; little did he know, we all already pitched in for the thing..! Mum and Carlos bought the Switch & Breath of the Wild & I went in for a case and Pokken Tournament. He had the BEST reaction and definitely had a GREAT Christmas!


Per the norm, Mum slaved over the kitchen stove to create our wonderful dinner. A classic hispanic meal to close out the night with the family. But when they suddenly walked out with a cake and started singing me "Happy Birthday" I did all I could to not cry. I'm a sap when it comes to these things. I was leaving for Florida the next day and wouldn't be home for my birthday, so this meant so much to me. I had no idea they had planned it. These people are the most important part of my life and every chance I get to spend with them is the best. I love them.

Happy Christmas from my Familia to Yours this Holiday Season!!

Christmas Eve! |*Vlogmas*|

Here's a pro-tip: Do your Pictures with Santa on Christmas Eve to avoid the crazy lines!!
We learned this a few years ago on accident and since then we only go on the 24th. Most people stay ahead of the game and do their photos weeks in advance, but when you have a large family that's spread all over the place, it makes it hard to schedule such things. And now it's great because when we do, no one's ever there!
I did prepare, however, by buying a super cute Christmas dress! I bought it just for the photos and when I saw how everything came out in the end, I love the photos! Everyone looks so great! Most likely the best we've done in years..! Lol
We have a lot of traditions for the holidays so Christmas Eve is always super busy. We always start with Santa pictures,  playtime, cookies, prep for Christmas DAY, seeing the christmas lights, family exchange, and of course- wrapping the presents! Traditions are always important to me, so I made sure to document all that I could.



I love and appreciate my Cora. She takes after me with her love for the holidays and spending time with the family. I love my Cora with all my heart and miss her everyday when I'm away..! She was such a wonderful Elf this year! She went with me and Mum to grab a couple of extra gifts and to grocery shop for dinner. She was very hands-on and especially eager to make her cookies and to keep everything in order in her kitchen..! Haha
This year my younger brother, Nicky, started working! He was so excited to have his own money to get everyone's gifts! I loved being able to take him shopping and to see his face when everyone opened the gifts he picked out specially for them.
I've finally made it this far! My *Vlogmas* journey has made it to the big day- my favorite day of the year: CHRISTMAS!!

'Tis the Season |*Vlogmas*|

I love my nieces so much. Milli is almost 3 and Cora is 6yrs old which means that they're both such wonderful bundles of joy!! I love spending time with them and playing games and dealing with their crazy. Haha This also means that they're both finally of the age to really get into the Christmas spirit!! They just make the holiday so much more special.

After the wedding the Harkiewiczes came for a visit. The family is too sweet- I was surprised that they brought Mum a gift. A great gift, too! I'm so glad I have such great friends in my life. If only I lived a little closer and could see them more often.

And speaking of friends and family, DATP had our Annual Christmas Party!! This little group of pals are my absolute favorite. I have my sister and I have Kim, Kassie, and the Harkiewiczes, but the DATP Crew holds a very special place in my heart. I'm able to really open up to them. Every year I look forward to seeing them during the holidays. I finally got to meet some of their luvers and to catch up. Things got a little weird after some of the girls had a little too much to drink, but that's normal..! Lol



The ladies dealt with some wedding stuffs and we finally ordered our Bridesmaid Dresses for Mum's wedding! It really looks like everything is starting to come together now! The dresses are so beautiful and unique, I can't wait to see how everything ties in the end.

And we close the night with a few traditions of building a Gingerbread House! Cora loved the decorating and Milli loved snatching up the candies... Lol And although I didn't want to do it, I ended up being the one in charge of most of the assembly. Hah. Isn't that how it always works..?

I really looks forward to spending the last few days with my babies and my poopers. It really is the little things that keep my heart warm.

Home Tastes Like... |Vlogmas|

Sweet Grilled Texas BBQ!!
Went with my mom to taste-test some food for her wedding next year. You know the saying "everything's bigger in Texas" is certainly true about our portion sizes! So yummy!

We drove out to Midland, Texas (only about an hour away from home) for some real home-made bbq! And it was so worth it. We found the perfect little place, a family run restaurant and within the first couple bites and sips of sweet tea, we were sold! There was a happy rumbly in my tumbly the whole drive home.

The next day I joined my mom & brother at their Boy Scouts Christmas party. We played games, I helped as DJ, and enjoyed the free food. One of the games included was "Name that Tune- Christmas Edition!" And whichever Troupe lost had to get up in front of everyone and sing. They weren't too happy about that.



The next couple days flew by. While my mother was at work and my brother at school I got to relax. I stayed with the puppies and watched TV (Criminal Minds marathons, of course!) and read a lot. I finally had the time to sit down and read The Christmas Shoes. It's always been one of my favorite songs during the season and I couldn't put down the book. It was absolutely beautiful. I can't remember the last time I cried so much while reading a story.

After finally getting to chill during my Holiday Vacation, the circus arrives! Haha, and by that I mean my sister. The next couple of videos will be much more exciting with my wonderful family and nieces running rampant as we prepare for Christmas Day.

I'm leaving out of town to visit my father for the weekend, so while I hope I will be able to get the next couple videos up, I make no promises!

#KeelingIt2017

As the unofficial videographer of the Keeling Wedding... Here's my next Vlogmas video!!

I never imagined I would be so emotional during the wedding. I ran around with my mother making sure each of the girls were taken care of and that they were all looking stunning. I ended up being the last one finished, but I didn't mind. We had food, drinks, and music- and that was just the prep!

As all the guests wiped their feet and warmed themselves from the rain outside, we in the wedding court prepared for our big entrance. Some were more nervous than others, speeding down the short aisle. I had to remind myself to walk slowly. My feet cooperated in my new heels and the girls all smiled and giggled at the little nuances throughout the process, remembering all the jokes from the night before. But when Sarah started to get choked up, reciting her vows to James, it hit me. I didn't expect to start crying seeing my friend get married off, but it did. Sam, in front of me started sniffling, but we both held our composure. And Sam never cries! Sarah was all in tears and I couldn't stop smiling. I was so happy to see the two of them getting married. And if Sarah was crying like this, she must really love this guy. Finally, after a wonderful 30minutes, we sauntered out of the hall.

Photos were taken and soon after a short break we entered the reception. It was a small wedding. Nice and sweet. Family and close friends of both the Bride and Groom. It was crazy to see people I'd gone to school with and hadn't seen in years! My mom joined us on the dance floor for every song. We kept going up and making requests to the DJ and pulling Sarah out with us. Even if our small group were making fools of ourselves, it was just nice to hang out with my friends.

I just laugh at how nerdy the two of them are. Each little table had Chocolate Harry Potter Snitches and colorful mini Bubble Lightsabers. The Wedding Court sat up front, our seats claimed by a different POP Figure representing the person (Mine was Princess Ariel, of course!). The court entered in on Star Wars music and the couple left under a mist of bubbles. Overall, a magic night. I love my friends and I can't express how honored I was to be apart of this Harkiewicz-Keeling Wedding.

I Wanna Wake Up in Texas..!

Have you ever seen the Texas episode of SpongeBob??? Where Sandy is feeling homesick so SpongeBob & Patrick throw her a big party & she sings her awesome TEXAS SONG!? Well, I sing that song all the time- especially when I'm headed home. I just can't wait to fly home and "wake up in Texas." <3 nbsp="" p="">
I had been planning this trip back home for several months now. There was a lot of things I had to take care of, aside from visiting my family and friends, of course. A major part of the trip was getting my Bridesmaid Dress! The last time I was in San Antonio I had been measured and finally the dresses were here! They're so pretty and look wonderful on all the girls. Now all I need to do is find heels to go with and get it trimmed (by a lot).
Along with the wedding, I had to be a buffer between Sarah, Bride-to-Be, and her hair stylist, my mother! It was an idea I threw out there several months ago as well, but neither of them had gotten up the courage or taken the initiative to talk things over with the other person. So, in order to get the ball rolling, I offered to arrange a meeting between the two of them. It's understandable, of course. My mom has known Sarah since she was in high school with my sister, but she's my friend. I'm glad I was able to get them together to work things out!

Then, of course, I couldn't forget about my sister! I really wanted to try and be back in Texas in September, so that I could celebrate her birthday! Suzette's birthday is September 14th, and sure it's way early, but I wanted to do something with her! We managed to work it all out that she would drive from El Paso (she literally just moved there a month ago) the very same weekend I was visiting. Even if there were a few complications, I'm glad she managed to make it..!

And last, but most certainly, not least: San Japan! I used to go every year with the Harkiewiczes, but I had to miss last year! Everything I had to take care of in San Antonio revolved around the convention0 because WHY NOT!? And with so much happening the past week, here's a full rundown of the days I was home...

Wednesday, August 30th:
I usually take early flights from Orlando to Texas in order to spend more time with the family, but there really was no point this time around. With Mom working and Nicky at school, there wasn't anyone to pick me up (A), and B, I wouldn't have anyone to hang out with... So this time around, I got to leave in the afternoon! It was an easy flight. It was the 1st time I flew with JetBlue, and I am certainly a fan! They're quite cheap and they have excellent Guest Service: Free TV Service, lovely Attendants, and lots of really great snacks!
In order to bring just my one carry-on luggage, I made sure to keep two big items out: my Kigurumi and Hogwarts Robe. People kept giving me weird looks. I walked onto the plane carrying both of them, pretending one was my jacket and the other a blanket, haha. But midway through the flight I got cold... Aaaand, after much debate, I slipped on the Kigu! The older gentlemen next to me kept looking over. I really thought he was thinking me mad, but when we were disembarking, he spoke to me. He loved the Kigu and thought it was a brilliant idea to bring it along!
After several flights now, I've come to the realization that FOR SOME STRANGE REASON, flight to Austin are waaaaay cheaper than to San Antonio. (WHY?) Luckily, Austin is only about an hour from home, so I waited till my mom picked me up. We spent the whole drive home talking about everything that was new, discussing dinner plans, and listening to her favorite country jams. You know, one of my absolute favorite things about being home, is getting to eat some home cooked meals.  It's all I ever want. But, of course, my mom bugged me the whole way home asking what kind of food I wanted her to make. Lol

Thursday, August 31st:
In light of everything happening in Houston with the Hurricane, my mother was almost called away to assist with the Relief Team. Although it would have been fantastic for her to have gone and assisted, she never got called in all weekend. There seemed to have been too many nurses already flown into the Eastern Region of Texas affected by the Hurricane. Instead, she remained in San Antonio as assisting nurse in the shelters they opened downtown. I really must do a shout out to her and the other Relief Team Members that put in such a wonderful effort. That's true Texan Pride, right there. I even learned that H-E-B was a main contributor to supplying those in need all over the region... it's times like these, I'm proud to have grown up in the Lone Star State. <3 nbsp="" p="">Meanwhile, Nicky was at school and I stayed home watching TV, playing video games, and relaxing. Lol It was really nice after working for over 2weeks straight. Mom & I wound up at the mall, having our very own girl's day out. We shopped mostly with our eyes, discussed some wedding details, ate lots of sweets and candies, and even got a facial from Origins. She took me to visit the brand new, and totally GREEN H-E-B Super Market that opened up near our house. And I am in LOVE. With all the new healthy options available, and even some "make your own organic peanut butter" stations- I know that when I'm home, I'll definitely be a frequent visitor! And by the end of the day, I was packed and ready with all my cosplay & snacks necessary for an awesome Con Weekend!

Friday-Sunday, Sept. 1st-3rd:
SAN JAPAN WEEKEND! Con Weekend are always a blast! Friends, Family, Nerds! What more can you ask for??? Lots of things happened this weekend (sort of), and it certainly deserves it's very own Blog Post! So Stay-Tuned!

Monday, September 4th:
SOMEHOW, I wound up doing my absolute favorite day on this Labor Day: Chilling with the Family, staying inside, and watching ANIME. That's right! I got my family hooked on my current obsession with My Hero Academia!! After having to say by to Suzette and the babies, Mom literally ran back inside so we could watch more of the episodes! Lol I love my family.
We watched a few episodes together, before I had to drag mom mom out to meet with Sarah and her fiancé, James. We, of course, visited the local Starbucks (where else are you supposed to have meetings??) We sat and talked wedding details for about an hour before we said our farewells. And within a couple weeks the two of them had settled on a look for the wedding! So proud of the two of them! And after returning home, Mom forced me to put on the next episodes of My Hero. We got through pretty much about half of the 1st Season, and spent the next couple days finishing it up...!

Tuesday, September 5th:
It was a struggle to wake up early in the mornings, especially since I was on "vacation." But it was well worth it. Nicky drove for me! How strange to think that he's old enough to be driving a car and actually receiving his Permit! Not my little brother!
After I returned home, I got to spend the rest of the day with Mum. She even wanted to watch more episodes of My Hero, although we stayed up extra late just for her! Haha. And that night, we hung out for more Anime, before I had to pack up my things for the next day.

Wednesday, September 6th:
Always the worst day of a trip- having to say goodbye. Nicky went off to school and I went off to prepare for my flight. Everything was packed a little differently (thanks, San Japan). I also had to leave behind a very important item! Carlos, my mom's fiancé, gave me a Concert Ukulele he had! But because we didn't have a hard case for safe travel, I had to leave it behind! (T^T)
SO! Without my Uke, and after a sad kiss goodbye Mum & Nick's furry babies (Link, Navi, Zelana ((Yay, Zelda Themed Dog Names!)), and Mewsette), we loaded up my things into the car. I was almost late to the airport. Thank goodness for Mom being a speed-driver and for Austin having a tiny airport. Literally, as soon as I got through Security they were calling my name. The plane had arrived early and they were ready for take-off! I boarded the plane and we were off!

And so, here I am, back in the most Magical Bubble of Orlando Theme Parks..! Most people would give their lifesavings to be here, in my shoes. But honestly, all I ever want to do is be home with my family. It's always nice to return and get back to my everyday life of work, work, work, and more work... But all I ever want to do, is wake up in Texas... <3 nbsp="" p="">

Journey to Disney...

~*August 6th- August 10th*~

And so my magical journey to the wonderful world of disney begins!

Road tripping with my family- moving to a new and unfamiliar home- it felt a lot like that time 4years ago when I was leaving for college. Buuuut I was obviously much more excited for this new chapter in my life...! (^w^)
The trip from San Antonio to Orlando was definitely a long one (over 20hours), but it was lots of fun. In our car we packed my mother, her boyfriend (Carlos), Carlos' daughter (Gabby), my brother (Nicky), Coraline, Kassie, and me. And thanks to technology today, I played Harvest Moon practically the whole way, haha! (( I was having withdrawals after Nicky had to take it away from me!))

What made coming to Disney even more exciting (if that's even possible) was knowing how many friends I was going to have while here! Not only would I have the opportunity to meet people from all over the US as well as the WORLD, but there just happened to be a lot of people coming from UNT! One in particular, Darian, has been a friend of mine for years and I was so excited to see him! Although he's still undecided on what he wants to do with his life, I'm always glad to hear how much fun he's having.

Besides hanging with all of the amazing peoples around me, I always love spending time with my mom and everyone. We hung out with family living here in Florida and just chilled out. Of course, when it comes to family there's always drama, but when I was with my mom and everyone was the most fun.

Everyday that I am here at Disney, making magic for all of the little ones I miss my family and even moreso- my Cora! <3 nbsp="" p="">

I can't wait till they come to visit me! I Love my family so much and miss them everyday. The few days we spent together at the start of my program were easily my favorite. I love it here at Disney, but I wish there was a way to have them experiencing it all with me. 

Cramped in California...#tbt

Seemed that everyone wanted to visit California this past summer... For 3days we were housing 15people under one roof. Sure, Dad may have a big house, but still..!

My Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jesse, along with my cousins (Michael & Laurel) and two of their friends (Alissa and Anna) were in California to visit and go to Disneyland; my step-mom (Jennifer) had invited her sister (Sherry) with her husband and son (Michael & Rysland) to stay since they would be moving to California in the fall; and eventually we were joined by Suzette and Coraline, and of course my dad, brother Richie, and myself make 15! They all flew in on separate days but for 3days their visits overlapped- interesting how it all worked out... 

It was, as my father said, "like we were housing a military camp, with all the bodies sprawled out everywhere..!"

It certainly sucked after having the place to myself for weeks then to suddenly be kicked out to a couch, haha, but it was definitely fun. Dinner was always an interesting adventure. Not gonna lie, though, I love my family, but when we're all crammed in close quarters like that, you get tired real fast... I was pretty happy when they all left & it was just Suzette, Cora, and me..! (-u-)

Terrifying Threes... #tbt

My Cora turned 3years old this summer! 

 Although Coraline is my niece, not my child, I always think people on my Instagram assume she's my daughter. Just because I post a million photos of my Princess Coraline doesn't mean she's my kid! But, still, Cora is my absolute favorite model- she's always doing something weird/ funny/ cute & I just can't help myself! (>v<) 

It's kind of become tradition for Cora to have multiple birthday celebrations- 1 in California with my Dad and the rest of our Cali familia, 1 small little celebration on her actual birthday, and then a 3rd one with my Mom and all of us in San Antonio. Guess those are the benefits of being the first grandchild! 

Last year, while in California we celebrated at one of my favorite locations: Ariel's Grotto! Although it's super expensive and the selection is very limited, I still think the food is great and it's always fun to meet the princesses!  

The last time we were here Suzette picked out Cora's Belle dress (since she's her mother, I guess it was ok..!) But this year it was my turn! And the best part- Cora takes after her aunty with Ariel being her favorite Disney Princess! As soon as she saw her Ariel dress she started stripping down, and was so ready to transform into a Princess! 

The dress just happened to also match Suzette's hair, haha. 

And, as always, I was sure to take tons of pictures of my Cora's Princess Debut (again)! 

Every time we celebrate at Disneyland, I get super excited. I hope this can stay a tradition of ours! And it's funny because my dad is always saying that Suzette and I seem more excited to meet the princesses than Cora does... And, honestly, I wouldn't deny that, haha... I truly just love being able to share my passion for Disney with my Cora! She loves the Wonderful World of Disney almost as much as I do! 

And continuing with the Disney Theme! This was the cute little cake my mom got Cora for her actual birthday! Although we have parties on a different day, it's always nice to have a little sweet something in honor of our day of birth! 

Cora really is lucky, like me, and gets to celebrate her birthday several times over. Since my birthday is during the holidays, I usually get multiple celebrations, too, just so I can feel extra special, haha. (^-^)

For the San Antonio birthday party, Suzette and Billy wanted to celebrate in their new home! Since they had just moved into their duplex a couple months earlier, it was also their first party- what a nice way to break it in!

It was lots of fun, as always, and pretty laid back. Friends and other little ones were invited to come enjoy our home-made sweets and all the water games! I helped make a couple of our little snacks- there were so many, I wish I could put all the pictures on here! And not only were they super easy to make and really yummy, they were healthy too! These little clams were mine and everyone's favorite! They went out within the first hour! 

 

As a person who's not into big parties and such, I always love little celebrations like these. You can relax in your natural environment and enjoy the company of your friends and family. The Harkiewiczes were able to come too! I made sure to invite them- firstly because Sarah and Cora share the same birthday (7/11)! And secondly, since little Stevie is around the same age as Cora. I really hope they enjoyed the party, because I certainly loved having them and I really hope they'll be at our future parties! I can't wait to watch Cora and Stevie grow up!! <3 <3 

The Game is Called 21...

  I figured, "Maybe it'd be best to keep things in a chronological order?" So, let's start things off with my BIRTHDAY!!!

Rainbow Birthday Roses

  On December 30th, I turned 21! Yep, that's right world, I am officially LEGAL. But it doesn't matter much, since I don't even like to drink, but that didn't stop my friends and family from showering me with drinks.

  Anyone who knows me know I don't like large parties, so for my birthday when I was asked what I wanted to do I responded with: "Stay home." Ha. They didn't let that one slide. So, on my birthday, I got dressed up as an Ariel Fangirl (because I'm really 12, not 21) and my sister, Suzette took me around the mall. I loved it! Since Suzette and her fiancé, Billy, both work at the mall I got the princess treatment all day! My Free drink from Starbucks, my Free gift from Sephora, a Free Tea, a Free Spider-Man iPhone case (which was actually given early), and a Free pair of Bluetooth headphones! Besides all the STUFF, everyone was super awesome and wishing me happy birthday all day! Then my sisters and mom treated me to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory- one of my favorites. It was there that Billy bought me my 1ST LEGAL DRINK: a Hard Strawberry Lemonade. It was actually pleasantly delicious. When the crew brought out my birthday cheesecake, they alas gave me a shot, some Rum & Vodka concoction. That one wasn't that good.

Sitting at the Bar like a Big Girl

1st Legal Drink

Happy Birthday, Me!

  After the mall, we returned home where I got to just hang out. The whole family stopped by and we got to play some games, then my friends picked me up and I got to have my 1st Hookah Experience! I kind of have mixed feelings about Hookah. It smelled decent, didn't taste too good, and although it was really relaxing, after a while, you get a head-ache. Besides that, I got Bubble Tea and quality-time with some of my best friends- so I loved it. 

Hookah with my Lovely Peoples!

21st Birthday Princess Selfie

  The next day, New Years Eve, was spent traveling around with my mom. I visited patients with her, then we got all of the party supplies and food supplies for the night's New Year/ Birthday Party. This was the 1st year that I can remember where it was JUST the family at our house. Usually "family friends" or "distant relatives" somehow find their way into our party, but this year it was just us. Throughout the night I kept getting handed drinks, too. At one point I was having to juggle three at-a-time; Billy, Uncle, and my mom just kept mixing them up for me. Billy's goal, apparently, was to get me drunk; however, little did he know, that I kept hiding my drinks so he wouldn't notice that I wasn't drinking them. So, all-in-all, that night I had a ton of Vodka, Rum, Soda, combinations of all sorts, as well as a very yummylicious Pina Colada! The Pina Colada was my favorite: at the end of the night, I had stolen the blender she used to make it & was drinking it with a straw. (I had to make room in the fridge, honest!) 

New Years Drinks

  We ended the night with an intense game of Phase 10 and everyone was shocked that after all those drinks, I was still full functional. Guess I'm a much stronger drinker than I look! Well, I say that... The next morning, my brain woke me up around 5AM. I walked to the bathroom, totally normal, then all of a sudden I started throwing up basically everything. Haha- it wasn't bad, or anything. I was actually surprised because I wasn't hurting or anything (that night or the next morning) and after a couple minutes in the bathroom, I was totally fine and just went back to sleep like nothing had happened! 

  So, there's my apparent "1st Drunken Experience"??? Well, I hope someday I get a more exciting one... Besides that, my friends and family kept treating me as the week went on. On the 1st, I got to go out with another couple of friends who treated me drinks after we went to see Anchorman 2. Together we sat at a pub and had a couple of Star Fuckers and Lifesavers- those ones were actually quite delicious.

At the Pub

  The next week I spent in California with my dad, which was a nice little break from everything while at the same time horrible! It was horrible because every time we went out to eat, Dad refused to let me get a normal drink- I HAD to get some kind of alcoholic beverage! Now, for most people, this would be their dream- but I hate alcohol and all I wanted was a fucking lemonade and no one was letting me have it!! It was so bad...
  And there you have it! For my birthday I had a ton of relaxing fun and a whole lot of first time experiences, especially in the alcoholic beverage tasting area... I may not be big into drinking, like at all, but it's pretty cool that I'm 21 now. Now, if I wanted to buy alcohol just because I wanted to, I COULD, and possessing that power is an awesome feeling!

Update...

  Well, it's nearly the end of January and the last actual post I made was, what, around Halloween time?? Wow, it's been a while. I guess a quick update is in order??

  First off- I actually DID complete my 31days of Halloween Horror Movie Challenge, I just never found the time to complete my posts! Who knows? Maybe I'll finish them sometime... The last major series I watched was the Ju-On & Grudge movies, which, by the way, were absolutely TERRIFYING! And then I completed the challenge by watching other movies like, Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas! On actual Halloween Day I dressed up, as Pooh Bear of course, went to class, hung out with friends, then returned to my room where I took a a fantastic 5hour nap! 

  Throughout the month of November I mostly killed myself by working my Herbalife products, working the business a bit, jumping through hoops to find a ride home, and getting ready for finals. It was a very, VERY hectic month, but everything worked out. As for my Herbalife (which will have a more in-depth post very soon), I haven't jumped levels to Supervisor yet, buuuuut, I've had amazing results! In less than 2months, I lost nearly 15lbs &&&& over 30inches off my entire body!!! I couldn't believe it!! Actually, I didn't believe it until I saw a before & after picture of myself! It's so crazy how amazing I feel everyday & after seeing these major results, I plan to kill it before Spring Break hits!! 

  Finally, we had reached the end of the year and everything was happening all at once! Finals came and went, and I did fine. I was immensely overly-stressed with life, so I honestly went into every exam with a "FUUUUUUUU-" attitude. (Totally serious, by the way). Then I returned home, where stress-levels continued to be stretched to the limit! Let's see, I got home on the 17th, and my Grandparents arrived on the 21st. Translation, everyday leading up to the 21st was spent cleaning the house and attempting to keep the peace within the household. Don't get me wrong- I absolutely love my family, and I would never trade any of them, but family is family, and that's all I have to say on the matter... And so the holidays were among us: I spent most of my time split into spending time with Grandma (she refused to leave the house, ever), running errands with Grandpa (he always wanted company for trips to the store, yay, me...), playing games with Nicky (he ended up grounding himself just before the holiday break due to grades, so this was a bit difficult), babysitting every now-and-then, and finally getting to see all of my best friends. I also spent everyday doing my best to "eat clean & healthy," but failed epically. Christmas was a ton of fun, and so was New Years, but the best was my birthday! This year (last year) I turned 21, a very special number. For more than a week all I was basically allowed to drink was alcoholic beverages! It was horrible!! Haha, but I had a great time with everyone. I'll have to make a more detailed post about my birthday later.

  Before we knew it, it was the new year! On the 1st, I hung out with friends, and on the 2nd I was on a plane to California! Honestly, my days in California are usually my most relaxing of any holiday, mainly because I'm usually just lazying about in my pajamas all day, playing video games, or just hanging out with my dad! They hardly ever make me actually DO anything, which makes for a great break for me since I am always on-the-go! The night I landed I was surprised with my new car: a cute bright blue Nissan Versa Note! She's a 2014 & her name's Ariel (teehee). I love her, and it is so great to have a car again! Now I'm not just stuck! Anyway, I worked a couple days with Jenny, and about a week later, Dad & I were road tripping back to Texas! We drove Ariel from Chino, California to El Paso in one day; the next morning we stopped into Odessa to visit our newest family member, Emma, who was barely a week old; and then made our way home to San Antonio! We had one day of break, then early (like, 4AM early) we were on the road again. I dropped Dad off at the Austin airport, and made the rest of the return trip to Denton alone. It was strange because there was no traffic and the sun had risen and I was already at the school. So, let's just say, Ariel got herself a good workout!

  And here we are, a week ago school started and I decided to jump headfirst into Fit Camps (bad idea). I'm helping with at NTXNutrition now and with Fit Camps every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'm only taking 15hours this semester, but Crackin' Up meetings should be starting soon, so that'll be taking up time, along with my Herbalife. Besides all of this, some very interesting events have arisen... Hint, hint: I will be kinda going on my first ever "date" tomorrow afternoon...! (O_O)

  I don't know what I'm exactly supposed to be feeling about everything right now, but I guess I'll have more to post about tomorrow???? Till then! 

Sincerely Yours, 

Lisette Monique Diaz 

Inks Lake...

  This summer, my family tried something new: 

A Family Camp Out! 

  I planned everything out months in advance, Mom booked the location, and on the afternoon of August  2nd we were all packed and stuffed in two cars, headed to Inks Lake!

  Personally, I was immensely excited for the weekend since I love being outside and camping! Buuut, I knew that it was going to be a hassle with my sisters... By the end of the 1st day, there were already complaints about the heat and money issues, amongst other things...

  Most of us climbed up this rock and jumped into the lake! 

It was so great!!   

It seemed that when we were swimming and just hanging out everyone was enjoying themselves and the beautiful scenery! 

  And it sure was gorgeous. 

  The boys and I found a small trail behind our campsite and at its end was a cliff with the lake at its edge. 

  There was also a herd of deer that hung around our campsite.

...Sometimes I think I'm a photographer...

"I feel like I'm stuck in a painting!" ~Suzette

However much I love my family, I sometimes miss the old days when it was just the 3of us and our camping trips every year.

We finished out our camping trip by bringing color to our flames! It was the coolest thing ever!! 

And the next day, after we were all sunburnt, Mom decided she wanted us to take family portraits, and that was an adventure in itself! 

Sincerely Yours,
Lisette Monique Diaz

 ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ 

Birthday Princess...

This summer, our little Coraline turned 2years old!!

  HOWEVER, instead of the normal 1day celebration, this little girl got 4birthday parties! 1party was hosted by my father and celebrated with all of their friends; the second was hosted by Disneyland, the third was actually ON her birthday, and the fourth and final party was held for our immediate family.

  Party #1: Dad, Jennifer, and a host of their friends celebrated with us. It was a sort-of block party, and because it was on the 4th of July, the military base had a ton of celebratory events happening. The same day, Suzette, Billy and I had also attended Anime Expo, so by the time the party had begun we were already exhausted. Even so, we had to be good party guests! At some point, I escaped the craziness and hid in an upstairs bedroom where I killed a few hours watching tv. Haha, I'm such a party animal!

The theme was Monster's University, since Cora's favorite movie is Monster's Inc. How funny that the prequel was released just before her birthday! I have yet to see it, but I've heard great reviews; besides, if Cora likes it, I'll most likely love it!

Party #1 was a crazy success! The kids and adults all had fun, && we got to watch fireworks at its conclusion! What a lucky little birthday girl! 

MY favorite birthday celebration was party #2!! Dad and Jenny took us to 3days of Disneyland!!! ((No matter how old I get, Disney parks will always make me happy!)) Sadly, because we had a fussy Cora who needed nap times, we only did 3half-days, but it's better than none.

On the first day of Disney we spent most of our time in the kids area riding teacups and every little storybook ride we could find! We also did Build-a-Bear, and ate at the Rainforest Cafe' which has become a sort of tradition for our family. On the second day we ate at Ariel's Grotto for lunch, which was pretty exciting since we had never been before. They gave us a cute Belle birthday cake and  on the last day, we met a bunch of the princesses!! I'm pretty sure I was the most excited out of everyone there!! 

Me & Princess Coraline!
She looked so freaking cute in her dress!!

This year's Belle,
I'm thinking Ariel for the next one??
(>w<)

Yes, I'm an Ariel fangirl!!

Princess Cora with Princess Ariel!!

She was pretty fascinated with all of the princesses

And she kept mimicking them!

Cora got to meet her Favorite Princess, Tiana!

And then Belle, Suzette's favorite!

&&&& yes, I got to meet Ariel!!! I was sooo excited!! As I said, I was the most excited!! 

Coraline's 3rd birthday party was nice and little. And guess what- it was actually on her birthday! Mom just got a cupcake and a candle for Cora, she blew it out, and the end! She was officially 2!!

Cora's 4th, and final birthday, was planned by Suzette and Billy and held at their new house. This one was nice and little too: Our family came over and some of their friends. The theme was Dr. Seuss, and it was so cute! 

Suzette got super excited since she was planning the party! She made green deviled eggs, and decorated the whole house in Dr. Seuss. I had fun, and it was cute watching Cora opening her gifts.

It's funny to see her reactions to everything, since she's still learning everything. And I'm excited to see her grow in the years to come! 

Sincerely Yours,

Lisette Diaz

ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭ ~Sweet Dreams~ ৎ꒰ ¯ิ̑﹃ ¯ิ̑๑꒱ુ ୭