Birthday Goodness!

Gifts 

I love giving gifts and I love getting gifts! 

I’m not the normal person though, I don’t glee for joy when the gift is $1,000, I’m the odd person that jumps for joy when the gift was $1,000, but you only paid $50 because it was used and in good condition. . . Not kidding. I love a good sale and I love when people shop smart! Another thing I love about gifts, is thoughtful gifts. I like when someone puts some serious thought into your gift, that makes me glee for joy.

So when I had an awful day on Friday, in all C fashion of being an early gift giver, he told me to grab something for him. So Baby M and I walk over to the deck and grab this tool bag. I’m about to hand it to him and he said, just open it and hand me the tool, my hands are full. When I open the bag, it’s gift boxes! *note – small gift boxes excite me more than large gift boxes* When I unwrap the gifts it’s the camera and film I've been eyeing! 

It's a Polaroid type camera, prints pictures off immediately

I love projects, so one reason I wanted the camera, was to start on my next project! I wanted to hang some pictures in Baby M's hallway. So as we built the deck, I started to shop through the scrap pieces to build my platform for said pictures. About a year ago I found a bow making tutorial on YouTube, so I knew I wanted to add a bow... then C helped me twist a wire hanger to clip the pictures to. I plan on adding more pictures, but for now it has 3 cute pictures! Oh, I also painted the board some mint color, let it dry, then sanded the edges and middle for more of an antique type look. 

On Monday I came home to some unique items. My sister recently went to visit my other sister in Colombia. They had a great visit and I didn't expect to receive birthday presents from Colombia, but I did! Baby M, C and I received chocolates, toys and cool pieces of art! 

To most people, this cup wouldn't mean much, but when C handed me the cup I started crying. Only a few know my obsession with Mexican type art or donkeys for that matter. Here's why: 
When we lost our dad, I made a trip back home to help my siblings clean his house. It was a cool trip because I spent some time with my brothers and sisters, we laughed, cut up and busted our butts cleaning the house. We found a lot of cool things, but I didn't take a single item, except 1 thing. Rewind to his last Christmas,  my sister J bought him an adorable donkey figure. The donkey was carrying baby Jesus and had a sombrero and all kinds of cute little decor. My dad loved the donkey and laughed because of how funny and cute it was. So when we were cleaning the house, I took the donkey with me. The donkey is truly a Christmas item, but it doesn't matter to me and the donkey is proudly displayed in my house everyday of the year. As the years continue to pass, my sister Josefina always seems to find a way to sneak me a new donkey or something with a donkey on it. I've gotten some cool items through her travels, but the donkeys mean so much to me. She knows what the little figures remind me of. So when I got this cup, in a weird way, it was like my dad was with me. In that moment in time, it was a small reminder of him being with me always and on my 30th birthday. 

When you lose someone important, the smallest items carry so many memories. Sometimes when I'm dusting or walking by, I glance at the donkey & I smile. 

I had a training session on my birthday so after training I had about an hour of free time. I wanted to go home and party it up with Baby M, but I knew I could use this hour to do something I've been putting off. So I made an appointment with an amazing stylist and she did her magic. 

I am not a fan of long hair or super short hair, but I knew I needed to donate at least 8 inches, so Teresa did her magic. I picked out some short styles and she started chopping and combing. I was a little scared because short hair can be unforgiving. . . 

I ended up digging my new do and I'm glad I was able to donate 8 inches to some kiddos in need. 

My locks before the cut 

Selfie haircut pic

It wouldn't be my birthday without some amazing food. So of course C takes me to my favorite restaurant. . . Frida's in Midtown. 

I love the restaurant, but hate the wait and sometimes the service isn't grand. 

The food is amazing. I'm from Texas/Oklahoma and this restaurant is the most authentic tasting place I've ever eaten at in Memphis. I could eat here about 3x's a week and never get bored. 

I always get this amazing burrito and can never finish it. It's big & beautiful 

This picture doesn't do this meal justice. This is hands down the meatiest nachos ever.
Yes, this is the only "Mexican" food C eats. Lame.  

Of course the night ended at my favorite bake shop. Muddy's is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner and in between. Love the service & treats! 

So far my days in the 30's are pretty righteous. Lots to be thankful for and lots to be excited about! Here's to many more! 

Thanks for the birthday love friends! 

Hello 30!

30 Years Young

Part of me giggles when I think about turning 30 and the other part of me hysterically laughs because I’m not mentally that age.  Some people find it hard or depressing to age, but I think it’s a true testament of a blessing. I get to turn 30, that’s something to celebrate. In my 30 years I’ve made some great memories, made some righteous mistakes and laughed way too much. I have so much room to grow, so much to learn and so very much to see.

Here’s to celebrating 30 and the years to come. If you can’t see me today, please have a piece of cake, honey bun, Dr.Pepper or some pie in my honor. You deserve it and in true fashion, you can even have two pieces … because that’s what I’d do for you.

In my 20's: I joined the married life, the home owner bunch, traveled a lot, joined the mommy world & ran way too much. 

My Bucket List for my 30-something year in life.

*fine print – can and will probably change*

B-i-b-l-e. I hope you sang Bible out like I did. I want to read the entire bible. I hope it takes me longer than a year, I hope some verses strike me and they make me over think and evaluate. It's funny because I always think the bible is so boring, but in all actuality things that took place years ago, still take place today. 

Take an advance photography course. I want to learn how to change some lighting and such in pictures. Make them extra gnarly. I love pictures! I think they're great to have and our house is covered in great memories. I love snapping pictures for others too! 

Master’s degree. I want to start working towards my Master’s degree, not sure if it’ll be an MBA or something extra spectacular. I really do hate school, but I like to learn and think about things bigger than me. I like to learn how the world functions and what I can do to help or how to see the picture differently. 

Visit Colombia. This may get marked off since my sista is engaged & lives in Colombia! Hello beautiful water, great fruits and wedding cake. . . I don't like to travel, but I love to see my family and see what they're up to. I would love to visit my sister's paradise and see things through her eyes. 

Fajitas. I want to make bomb fajitas. I love Mexican food. I love fajitas and so does C. I can make some and they're okay, but they're not like real-deal fajitas. 

Guitar. Take more than 2 lessons. So Parker-the-great gave me 2 lessons, then my fingers felt like they were bleeding, so I took a break, that turned into a year... I have a beautiful guitar that needs to be played, so I will learn. 

Open mic night. I want to sing 1 song. I like to sing, but I don't like to do it in front of others. I'm not shy, I just don't like to know anyone in the crowd. So I will probably end up singing at church in the toddler room and it'll probably be some Frozen song because that's all they like right now. 

Open mic night. I want to do #4 while playing the guitar. eekkk... 

Ice cream. I want to try all 31 flavors at BR. I love ice cream, like a lot. I like ice cream more than I like regular real food, so yeah, this is going to happen. 

Marathon. I want to run the Mercedes Benz 2016 full marathon. Mainly because the medal is pretty and because when I cross they'll say "Mercedes" 

Oh & before we part. . . I stopped sharing our #30RAK doings because it started to get a little personal and I didn't want to share any circumstances or events. I will leave you with our last random act . . . I am growing my hair to donate 10 inches to an organization that helps kiddos in need. I keep wanting to cut my hair, I'm not a fan of long hair, but I keep thinking about the precious kiddos who are waiting for wigs and I'll grow my hair again and again to help them get whatever style of wig they choose. This will be an ongoing once a year donation. Through our random acts of kindness, I pray someone was inspired to give, someone was inspired to do and to act in kindness. 

Be blessed my friends, stay classy San Diego. 

Not Thinking. . .

We weren't thinking straight. . . 

Remember that time you renovated your kitchen, then spent a whole week at the beach 12 hours away from home, then came home to unpack, then start on a massive backyard deck? Oh, yeah, you probably don’t remember that time because it’s insane and only we would do something like this.

The start of the deck 

We moved into our home mid-December and renovations took a back seat until the weather was warmer and until Baby M was a little older. It’s a little difficult to do a lot when you have a 6 month old, but it’s not quite as difficult when you have a trotting 14 month old. It’s always even better when said 14 month old doesn't mind when she’s in my carrying sling!

Happy Baby M 

For starters, the kitchen was my idea, the deck was not.  I loved our backyard area as it was when we purchased the home. C, an outdoorsy type of guy, was just not feeling the low concrete slab. I was left with no choice really, as I am not the outdoorsy type of girl, unless its 65 degrees, cool breeze, a camp fire & s’mores are involved. So when C said he wanted to build a deck, I laughed and thought, “Maybe next year.”  Next thing you know we’re in Lowe's purchasing ungodly amounts of lumber.

To say building a deck is hard work is an understatement. The amount of patience required is enough for Mercedes to go insane. The measuring, cutting, leveling, etc. gives me hives. C didn't really ask me to help, maybe it’s because I’m the worst at measuring or building anything… so I was on Baby M duty. He was fortunate enough to get my help when Baby M was snoozing and I’m sure he was ready for me to stop helping. . .  C has a lot of patience, but he’s a perfectionist and apparently you aren't supposed to strip screws or leave gaps between boards – sue me. So my decking days were short lived & we're still married, so I didn't make him to mad. 

The finished deck *insert ooh's & ahh's*

The deck is almost complete - missing the stain, some benches and some painting, but it’s absolutely beautiful and I’m so grateful for everyone that helped! 

I'll leave you with my morning view. 

August.

Hello, August. 

August is my 2nd favorite month, October is my 1st. 

Why Mercedes loves August 

School is back in session! That means on my random off days I won't have to fight parking lots or restaurants for the summer crowds! I love scanning Target at 11 am on a Tuesday morning and not having to dance around crazy crowds. 

Fall is closer! I love fall for a lot of reasons,but mainly because I love sweaters. 

My birthday! I love birthdays and I love mine! 

Sales! I'm not doing back to school shopping, I'm doing Mercedes shopping while others do back to school shopping! Thanks for the sale prices stores! 

I could list a 100 other reasons why I love August, but I won't keep you too long! 

Have a wonderful month, make someone smile, do something crazy! 

Kitchen Party

Who loves Pinterest? I do. 

Who loves painting? Not Mercedes. 

Who decided to start a kitchen demo 2 days before vacation? Mercedes. 

Yup. 

We decided to demo our kitchen 2 days before heading to the beach. 

The weekend was full of hard work, cuss words & laughs. C's mom is always on board to help us navigate thru our wild and wacky ideas, so having her around made for some great laughs and good times. Seriously, if you don't have a good MIL life isn't the same. I'm grateful for her for a lot of reasons, but her humor is absolutely the main reason. 

So, I fell in love with open shelves & had to beg C to see my vision. He wasn't on board at all, then after some begging we started the project. The first place we headed was Lowes, they really do hire some great people. Everyone provided a lot of help and also gave us some great pointers. 

After Lowes we kicked off our kitchen party and immediately found ourselves working at 1 then 2 in the morning. 

The cabinets were removed, sanded, primed, painted and painted again. Then after drying they were stained. We wanted the antique look and it was pretty easy. If I can do it, anyone can do it. When I say I HATE painting, I HATE painting. I'd much rather work in the flower beds which is also something I despise. Painting and Mercedes do not mix. I can paint an empty room no problem, but a messy room is beyond stressful to me! 

Something I failed to mention... C was on call Friday & Saturday and also worked full days both days. After work he came home to bust his butt working on this kitchen. He'll never know how much I appreciate his hard work. 

If you want to test the strength of your marriage, renovate anything or build a house. I'm pretty sure C and I are here to stay. We've made it thru several renovations & home hunting, adoptions, infertility & numerous long trips! 😉

Yes, that's a chalkboard & I love it! 

Simple Life

The simple life. 

What does that actually mean? 

When I think about it, I think about my parents and my grandparents. The days where if you stayed at home on Friday night, it was okay. You weren't considered a loser and it was okay to want to be at home with your kids. 

The days if you didn't have the sickest ride, it was okay. 

Ah, the simple life. 

So when our pastor started a series a few weeks ago, talking about this very subject, my wheels started churning. How can Mercedes get back to this simple life, the life of enjoying what I have, the life of knowing I am blessed and rich! 

So here are 3 things I found out when reviewing my life and bringing back more of the simple and less of the crazy. 

Fellowship 

If I have to meet you at a restaurant, bar or big event to spend time with you . . . 

Chances are, we really aren't that great of friends. 

Mercedes, don't go there. 

Yes, I said it. 

Does that mean we can't meet our friends for the occasional Mexican feast at Frida's, nope. 

What I do mean, is that it's okay if you come to my house for dinner, or if we come to your house for dinner, it still counts as quality time. 

In fact, the chances are we'll have an even better time! 

So be prepared for more dinner invites friends! 

Played an intense game of Heads Up 

Fun

My parents used to tell me all the time - Bored people get bored. 

That didn't matter when I was 15 years old, stuck at home dying of boredom. 

As I grow older, I finally realize fun doesn't have to involve spending crazy amounts of money or even booze. 

Some of my best memories of fun times, involve a kitchen table and Dr.Peppers, with a side of good conversation or playing any game with Mr. Rodgers. Competitive people make everything funny, especially if you're like me, the most non-competitive person alive. 

Yes, look for more game nights pals! 

I even have fun making sleeping beauty pictures of Baby M. 

Maggie dreams of spending our money! 

Technology 

This is so weird because I'm married to the guy who loves technology. 

The inner nerd in all of us, loves everything about technology. 

Unfortunately, if we don't learn to separate from technology on the occasion, we'll miss out on some great moments. I'm pretty sure we've all seen the guy who won't put the phone down, or the girl who answers every text message, or the best is the girl who takes a picture of everything - her food, the hostess, the waiter... etc. How about the people who have text alerts - whomever invented those should be throat punched. If you're texting me a message, chances are it's not important. Pretty sure my family would call me in a crisis and not text me in a crisis. 

Don't be alarmed if we have a basket at said game/dinner nights where everyone puts their phone away! It's only a couple of hours, you'll survive. 

Live the Simple Life. 

It's good for your soul. 

Know you are Rich. 

Be grateful. 

Give with Love. 

It's the best way to give. 

- Mercedes 

My Dad

Dad 

Summer time and July always remind me of my Dad. 

When I was about 6 or 7 years old, I remember my dad walking up to the house, his lunch pal in his hand and his keys hanging on his hip. I remember how tired he looked approaching us, but the second he locked eyes with us, he would grin. He used to put his lunchbox on the porch and he'd juggle the soccer ball with us for a bit, then he'd go inside say hello to the others and our mom. He wouldn't stay inside long, he was always an outdoors kinda guy. 

I remember every night before bedtime we'd run out of the shower and jump in his lap. I have always been very vocal and too loud for my own good, so I'd start yelling from the end of the hall. He'd hear and he'd sit up and say, "let me smell!" When we'd pounce in his lap, he'd smell our hair. We used this strawberry shampoo and we'd always beg him to smell our hair. It was something we thought was hilarious and we always looked forward to it. 

I could paint a perfect picture of my dad, but it's not 100% true. My dad was human, made lots of mistakes, some that were unforgivable and some that made for great jokes, but nonetheless he was my dad. In my eyes he is without a doubt the strongest and most hardworking man I've ever met. 

3 things about My Dad: 

Strong

When someone measures strength they tend to think about weights and rep type information. 

Sure, my dad was physically strong, but more importantly he was emotionally strong and financially strong. 

My dad started his American dream by working towards gaining citizenship. He faced trial after trail through the process and never gave up. He worked whatever job was available and always provided for our family. He never received any government support, never wanted it and he never missed a day of work. He believed in hard work and believed in living within our means. 

He never had a credit card, never had a car note and owned his home within 5 years of purchasing it. 

My dad never made over minimum wage and raised 8 kiddos and my mom was a stay at home mom. 

He is hands down the reason why I love finances so much and the reason why I think I love to work. Yes, I love to work, you read that right. 

Classy 

My dad never dressed with the trends, he wore what he wanted to wear and was totally cool with it. He was his own man. When he entered a room you could tell he was confident. I remember when I was interviewing for my very first job, he told me, "Meche, walk in like you have the job." I laughed because I thought it was silly advice, but he was right. Walk in with confidence and it'll show. He was the type of guy who stood when a woman entered the room and he was the guy who never let a woman pay, always opened the door for a woman and always carried the heavy bags. 

Proud 

He was absolutely proud of all of us. 

He pushed us so hard at everything we did, but he really promoted and pushed for higher education. He drilled educational goals in our heads and made sure we understood college was not an option. I remember walking into his janitor's office one day, maybe about 6 months before he passed and seeing his wall. It was more of a shrine. His small wall, the small closet where he sat each day on his breaks, this is where he would clip every newspaper article about us. I saw the article about my sister receiving honors, the article about me on the homecoming court, how about the one where Fran was in ROTC. All of the articles were lined and taped on the wall. I never knew the wall existed and when I saw it, he laughed and said, "I love seeing you guys in the paper. I love to talk about your accomplishments and goals." 

My dad lived through his kids. 

The opportunities he had were slim, but he did the best with what he was given. 

He was never ungrateful and forever humble. 

I'll never forget the day I told him I was moving to Tennessee. I was terrified, I sat on his front porch and waited for him to get home. 

I remember seeing his car pull in the driveway and him with a puzzled look on his face. 

When he opened the door he said, "Meche, it's hot out here, why aren't you inside?" 

I laughed, because it was an August day and he's right, it was about 105 outside. 

I stopped him before we entered the house and I told him I wanted to move. 

My voice trembled because I was scared about his reaction. 

Would he hate me for moving so far, would he be mad, what if he got sick? 

He looked at me, those hazel eyes and said, "Will you go to college there?" 

I laughed and said, "Of course." 

He told me he liked Cody and that he wanted me to be careful. 

I remember the silence that followed and his nose sniffle and him pretending it was the weather that caused it. 

I remember crying and hugging him, telling him that I would visit. 

A few months passed and I remember jogging in my room to answer my phone. 

It was my sister and she said I needed to come to Oklahoma as quick as possible.

I was scared for a lot of reasons, but mainly because I had never driven on the interstate by myself. 

I remember making the drive, watching the sun go down, getting calls every 2 hours to see where I was. 

I remember arriving in Norman and making the last leg of the drive with my two siblings and my brother in law. 

I remember the horrible storm that was coming, seeing lighting in the distance and falling asleep on the 3 hour drive. 

I remember waking up to my brother's loud ring tone and hearing him briefly talk on the phone, saying, "but we're 10 miles away, I can see the Altus sign." 

I remember him hanging up and telling us the bad news. 

I remember walking in and seeing him there, no longer alive, his spirit in Heaven. 

He was handsome, he was and will forever be my dad.