4 Months...

Geez it's been four months since the last time I blogged anything. I hate it when I go that long without blogging because then I feel like I have to type a "get you up-to-date" blog.

So here is the update....in short of course lol

I quit my job, started my own business, lost more weight, spent way too much money at a Victoria Secret shopping event, finished all my Christmas shopping early, caught four kittens, had some laughs with my Dad, found out Leandro and I may never be able to have children, cried a lot.... realized I was being ridiculous in assuming....and started smiling a little, kept one of the kittens I caught and named her "Lucy", found out my nephew needs surgery, watched my nephew turn two, got in a argument that lasted several weeks with Josh, but now it's all better, had an ugly sweater party, ordered cookies from Ambrosia bakery that cost way too much, went to the dentist, bought a pair of size 4 jeans, had fun at Build a Bear, made a good friend, made a card for my aunt an d mailed it, bought a coffee grinder, took a long bath, drink too much wine and acted like an ass, went to a Christmas party, read a few books, had a heart felt moment with my grandmother, made ornaments with the kids, had a really rotten day, had a super awesome day, thought about making a bucket list, planned a father daughter trip with just me and my Daddy in January, ate some nasty Chinese food that I later regretted, spent too much money on circle E candles, went to Hollidays with Penny, went through some things out of my Dad's attic and cried a little, got approved for a house, worried about the van breaking, made muffins about three times a week, thought in depth about my religious beliefs

I think that about sums it up.... LOL

Merry Christmas

Two Weeks Off = DIY!

Gooood Morning!

Today is only Tuesday and already I feel so accomplished! I have two weeks off of work until the new school year begins. I say I have two weeks off.... I have pretty much filled up everyday with work! lol :)

Yesterday, I went to babysit some of the kids from ACS, then I went shopping with my birthday money and bought everything to create this:

What I really wanted for my birthday was a new mattress, because ours is old and uncomfortable. Well, since we really can't afford a new one right now I came up with this solution! I had $153 of birthday money and this is what I came up with.....

Feather bed topper: $39.99

Duvet and shams: $39.99

(2) Sealy Posterpedic Pillows: $11.99 each

Egyptian Satain Sheets: $39.99

Cute Black and White dress: $9.99 (not pictured) lol

_____________________________

Total $153.94

YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Last night I don't think I tossed or turned all night! I slept so good and comfortable! I am very happy with my decision to "re-vamp" my mattress! :)

Today i used to left over materiel that my aunt gave me to give my dining room chairs and fresh clean look. I recovered them all with this neutral color. Cost to me ----> $0!! Yay!

Finally, I found these curtains on clearance at Big Lots yesterday for $6.99! It was time for a change. The other curtains were looking pretty ragged thanks to Oscar and the cats for pulling on them all the time. By the way... the two accents on top are just there for now until I finish fixing the side hooks. They will come down. I don't like them there. I'm using the curtain rod as a holder so the cats don't destroy them while I'm working. LOL
I must say... I feel like I have gotten so much done already! Tonight Maw, Joanie and I are all going to play Bingo in Denham Springs. I am so excited! I love Bingo.. and my Maw of course!

Oh! I have so many DIY projects in store for these two weeks off..... here are a few things I would like to work on:

Re-organize pantry

Frame some new pictures

Get a coffee table for the living room

Anyway.... back to work....... Happy DIY!!!

Love,

Erin

A Sunday Kind of Love...... A BBQ Sunday

So Last Sunday Leandro and I got up (not so early) and cleaned the house together from top to bottom.... and to celebrate we had a BBQ. Daddy finally gave me that baby R2D2 looking grill that he never wanted to give up because he supposedly uses it! LOL

We had such a nice evening. This was the first time that we had BBQed at Hidden Oaks this Summer. Here are a few pictures from our not so lazy...then lazy Sunday.

These were my yummy mango/cherry/lemonades with rum! Needless to say it was a pretty darn good day! I miss the day already!

Many More Happy Sundays-

Erin :)

Home

I love this song! Reminds me of Leandro..... :)

Adele

I'm so in-love with her! Her voice reaches down and grabs my soul! She is so amazing! This is one of my favorite songs off this album! I just thought I would share this.

w/love

Erin

Gravity

Good Morning/Afternoon.... ;)

I'm off today. It's been a while since my last post so I thought it was time for an update. I don't think all that much has changed since my last post. I am working at ACS's summer camp program for now. It will be over in four more weeks. I am only working Mon-Thurs right now. I just got a part time job at "Build a Bear" at the mall of LA with John. That's going to be such a blast! I'm really looking forward to it.... and working with John of course! He's so awesome!! Love him!!!

I am being so lazy today! It's so nice. I just made my second pot of coffee and I am still in my pjs and it's noon....lol. I have been reading "The Help" and messing around on the computer all morning. I have been listening to my "Early Jazz" Pandora station all morning and Jazz + Hot Coffee + "The Help" = Erin not doing a damn thing but being lazy all day!! LOL

A couple of other things happened recently that I wanted to talk about..... Shawn Jones was involved in a murder/suicide last Friday night at the TJ Ribs off Acaiden. His funeral services were last night at Seale. I didn't go. I haven't seen Shawn in about three years. We weren't really friends or anything. In fact, the only time we really talked is when I was in tenth grade and we dated (sort of). Basically.... what could have been a good relationship between the two of us went belly up so fast because of his "obsessiveness." He was moving way too fast for me so I ended the relationship pretty much before it ever began. He couldn't let go and basically stalked me! He wrote me notes everyday, followed me all around school, wouldn't stop calling me.... he would say that "he loved me.... and he wanted us to be together" yadda yadda yadda.

Shortly after all that he finally got the message when I started dating Leandro and then he finally backed off. It was like an entire year that he wouldn't leave me alone though... and for all of those reasons and a few more.... I got so angry at him until I reached the point of not being able to stand him and wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. I didn't want to be his friend... I didn't want to know him.

The last time I saw Shawn he was working at Conn's in Baton Rouge off of Airline hwy. I went there with my Dad to look at flat screen lift cabinets, because at the time Conn's were the only carriers of these cabinets in Baton Rouge. I had no idea he was working there. I was surprised to see him and sort of dreading to see him. He came up to me immediately and I gave him a hug and acted polite. I asked how he was and he asked the same. He told me him and his wife had just gotten a divorce and I said "I'm sorry to hear that" and he said "don't be." He said he had heard Leandro and I had gotten married and he asked how that was going. I told him it was going great. He then asked if I was happy..... I said "yes, very!" He said "Well, if your never not happy....give me a call." This pissed me off.

My Dad decided against the lift cabinets that Conn's had and we headed out of there. That was the last time I saw or spoke to Shawn.

I have been thinking about Shawn everyday since I heard the news about his death. It just makes me so sad. The reality of the situation regarding our "friendship" years ago in high school is that Shawn and I actually had a lot in common with one another. We had very similar situations at home regarding our mother's. We both had younger sisters that were about the same age. We could have built on so much as far as a friendship relationship goes. Who knows.... we could have still been friends... but I guess it wasn't in the cards.

Shawn needed help. Years ago when I really knew him I realized he needed help. But years ago I realized I needed help..... I just don't understand how our up bringing was so similar with horribly different outcomes. Even though I was angry with Shawn for years, and didn't want anything to do with him, my heart still hurts at his horrible departure. For underneath all of those aggravating things he did to me... I never believed Shawn to be a bad person. I still don't. He was also very kind.... and funny... and thoughtful... and innocent in so many ways. I believed he did what he did out of love for his sister. I don't think what he did was right be any stretch of the meaning, nor do I agree with what he did what so ever. However, I still believe Shawn Jones was a good person, a kind one and am really sad to see him leave.

That's Life :D

So... it's been awhile since my last post, but hey... that's life right?! :)

I posted the most recent picture of myself that I have. That picture was taken two days ago. I am bored at home this week.... so updating my blog and pictures was on my "to-do" list.

OK....let's see...... I had emergency gall-bladder surgery not last Thursday but the Thursday before that...so on 5/05/2011. I have also been killing myself over at Anytime Fitness...working out six days a week at 3:45 AM - 5:00 AM before work (except for this whole week and last week..... you know Dr.'s orders and all.) At least being home from work has allowed me to finish three of the books I was reading and start my new book for book club.

Also, I am preparing for my girl's trip with my Laura to Galveston, TX on Monday 5/30/2011. I am out of school that week, so we decided to take a little girls trip.

Hmmmm...... what else??? Oh Leandro left CVS and went to Albertson's. Albertson's offered him a good bit more money and his pharmacy manager and one of the other pharmacist transfered there so he went too. He really loves it. I love that store. If you haven't been to the new Albertson's in Denham you need to go ASAP!!!!! It's sooo pretty! The produce, meat, and liquor sections are to die for!!! LOL

Hmm...... oh and we got a dog. We named him Oscar, as in Oscar Mayor Weiner.... if you haven't guessed it yet... he's a weenie dog! LOL

I guess that's pretty much it. Besides my recent gall-bladder removal surgery, I feel fantastic! :)

Sometime

Good Morning and Happy Mardi Gras! I am off of school today. I don't have to go back until Thursday. It's been sometime since I last posted a blog.....sometimes life gets in the way of little things like blogging lol. Also, its quite amazing how quick things can change in such a short period of time. So I guess I shall just start from the top.....

Our New Condo at Hidden Oaks:

I love it! Sometimes when I am walking the dog (I'll get to that in a minute) I pass the condo labeled 401 and gaze into it's emptiness... thinking how we used to fill all those rooms with our things. But overall, it's amazing how quickly we can adjust to new things. I love having my own craft room.... and Leandro having his own office apart from all of my things.

The Dog:

So....we adopted a dachshund aka a weenie dog and named him Oscar as in (Oscar mayor wiener.) I couldn't stand him at first because he chewed up four pillows, but now I love him. LOL

He's definitely learning not to chew things up and he is getting better all the way around. He is potty trained (Thank god) and the cats are adjusting to him more and more. We still bring the cats in our bedroom to sleep with us at night and make him sleep in the living room because we don't want them to feel like we don't love them anymore lol

The Job:

I LOVE my job!!! I can't express how much I love my job! I know this is what I am born to do because some days when I am pulling out of the parking lot I have tears in my eyes thinking about some of those kids. I even dream about them or spend time laying in bed at night thinking how to help certain ones who are having a difficult time with different lessons. I am constantly thinking on how I can improve myself to be a better teacher and listener. I love teaching and I hope to open my own school in the next five years!

Also, the people I work with I love them all like family. I feel like we are a family over there. It doesn't even feel like work to me. It feels like getting a check every two weeks is just a bonus to being there. I know it seems weird but I really don't even care that they pay me. LOL :)

The Weight:

Is falling falling falling off! I feel fantastic!!! I have lost a total of 57 lbs!!!!!!! I am so excited and I feel great! I am going to post some updated pictures on my other blog today so you can see!

The Future:

Well, I went and saw my OBGYN yesterday and he said he was so proud of me!! He said I can start my fertility treatments in Dec. and feels confident that I will be pregnant by Feb. of next year!!! This is such a big deal for me!!! I am about to cry just typing this....I never thought there would come a time where I would hear him say those words..

So thats pretty much it! We are doing well.... getting ready for the beautiful Spring to come :)

Have a wonderful day and big hugs and kisses from me!!!!

xoxoxox

Love,

Erin

Smaller Numbers

So lately it seems as though 2011 is all about the smaller numbers....... smaller numbers regarding my weight..... regarding my pay.......regarding our new condo number....... smaller numbers everywhere but with larger results ;)

I am still loosing weight every week (refer to my weight-loss blog for an update on this http://erin-gutierrez.blogspot.com/) so that's wonderful and is helping me so much and I feel great!

The number as far as how much as I am getting paid to teach is smaller than what I was making at the time I left UtiliQuest, but with that comes great benefits and a large opportunity!

Finally, most recent our condo. Apparently the owner of our condo foreclosed and so we are having to move since our lease was up in November. The good news is that the bank is paying us to move and the leasing company that we were going through has offered us a three bedroom two buildings down from where we are now for the same price we are paying now. Therefore, we will be going from Apt. 401 to Apt. 202 lol ;)

So yeah....... all about the smaller numbers in January.....

***

I wanted to add a video to this blog of what band I am currently listening too constantly.... I haven't had any new music on my blog in a while.....

Passion Pit!

Enjoy!

Always early.....

Good Morning!
I am sitting in the parking lot at work, blogging from my phone waiting for school to open. I have so much to blog about! So many things have happened in the last week. I guess when I get home I will need to sit down and blog it all out lol.
Hopefully I will sleep better tonight! I slept maybe an hour last night because I was coughing all night. Every since I have started my new job as a teacher I have been sick almost every week. These kids are like little virus carriers of EVERYTHING lol!!!
Well, the principle just pulled up so I need to get to my class, I will blog again tonight of all the events and changes happening ;)

Have a beautiful day!! :)
-Erin

Blogging on a plane and the world’s largest motherboard!!! tehehehe

So, I am on my JetBlu flight 37,540 ft. in the air and traveling at 621 mph. I am pretty excited about seeing Josh! I know I just saw him but I miss him. I wish that we lived closer.

I’m also pretty excited about seeing Martha Stewart on Tues. We are going to have so much fun! There is a 70 % chance of snow on Tues. and Wed. I hope that doesn't interfere with my travel plans on Wed.

This was the first time I ever got on a plane feeling sad. I felt sad and I have no idea why. I mean, I’m excited to see Josh and see Martha and NY and all but I just couldn't help but feeling a little said when I was as the terminal. I guess it has to do with Kayla.

In case you didn't know my cousin Kayla passed away last week. She had a massive heart attack (so they think.) She was three months older than me. We weren't close at all. She was my second cousin but still…… it’s just sad. Her and her husband were married three months after me and Leandro. She wanted babies…… but it never happened for her. It’s just really sad.

Anyway….I don’t want to talk about Kayla anymore because it makes me sad. I am trying to get stoked about seeing Josh and Spiro. Josh texted me right before take off, he seemed upset that I didn't call of text him all day. Honestly, I didn't even think about it….I thought everything was good to go. I think it is traveling etiquette to let the people who are picking you up etc. know that your plane is on-time etc. I didn't even think to do that. Oh well, he will get over it, and if he’s still mad when I get to JFK I will just show him the andy-gator I brought him lol…..

I’m looking out the window and every single time I fly at night and see all the orange colored lights of the city it makes me think of computers. It looks like the world’s largest motherboard. I wonder if Steven Hull ever thought of that? I miss him! Steven if you read this…..I miss you and think of you often! J We need a lunch catch-up session!

There is a cute fate little Asian boy in the seat in front of me who keeps reaching for my laptop…. I keep smiling and saying “no no no you can’t have it…” He’s too cute. ..

Well, I think they are about to start passing out drinks and stuff and I need some coffee since I can’t have any alcohol… :)

Lots of love from high above!!!!

Erin

The Martha Stewart Show

I won two tickets to see Martha Stewart live in studio on Jan. 25th! I am so excited! I will be flying into JFK airport on Monday Jan. 24th and departing Jan. 25th. That is only three weeks away! I am so happy I can't wait! :)

Hi Ho Hi Ho off to work I go......

I got a job!!!! yay!!!! Actually, not just a job....but a career LOL. I got a teacher's position at a Montessori school in Baton Rouge. Yesterday was my first day and I LOVED it!!! I am so excited! There are so many good things about this job! Some of the benefits are that I get five paid weeks off a year plus two weeks paid vacation. That's a total of SEVEN WEEKS OFF PAID! Isn't that awesome?! Also, once a month there is a half day on a Friday where I will get paid a whole day! The dress code is jeans or and I quote "just wear whatever's comfortable." The hours are M-F 9-4:30.......NO NIGHTS.......NO WEEKENDS......!!!!!!!!! Also it's a salary position but if you work over forty hours a week you still get paid time and a half!

It seems almost too good to be true. I can work as an uncertified teacher for a year as long as I work under a mentor (the two owners of the school.) After a year, they will pay 100% for me to become certified. Also, if I have kids they will be able to attend free. I am so excited! :)

I am off today. This week I am only working M,W,F but next week I start working M-F!

What a awesome way to ring in the new year than with a new job :)

Huge love!!!!
-Erin :)

Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011!!!!!!!!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day......(don't forget to eat your black eyed peas and cabbage!!)

Wishing that the new year brings many new wonderful experiences to your life.......

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!!

love,

Erin :)

Christmas in the Country....

Our Bridge in Erwinville from Uncle Tommy's to MoMo's house....all decorated for Christmas...

MoMo's Christmas Tree......

Cuban Coffee.....Christmas style :)

Me pushing Timothy on his new rocking horse that Leandro and I got him for Christmas! :)

Dad and Penny in front of MoMo's tree on Christmas Eve....

Merry Christmas! I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as mine! I hope you enjoyed a few of the pictures I posted from last night and today!

I had the most wonderful day and last night too! I got a fancy smancy Kitchenaid mixer from Dad and Penny which I intend to put to good use very soon. Also, Santa brought me a chimanea...which I can wait to use too!

Merry Christmas and lots of love from my heart to yours!

Love,

Erin

That Spirit of Christmas....

Christmas is the time of year......

Yesterday was the most wonderful day! My mother and I took Timothy to get his picture taken with Santa Clause at Bass Pro. It has been years since my mother and I did anything like that together. It was so wonderful being able to share that with her. It makes my heart smile so big with Christmas-ie goodness. I feel so blessed. What a wonderful gift to be able to have a day like that with my mom.

Timothy is such a blessing to all of our hearts! I am so happy and thankful for him! He is such a good baby! He didn't even cry when we gave him to Santa....he just looked up at him. :)

Look at the pictures I posted.......look at my mom's smiles!!!!!! She never smiles!!!!! Timothy can bring out a smile in anyone.

This made my whole Christmas! I am trying not to cry when I type this...... I am just so happy... what beautiful memories we made yesterday.....I will never forget......that spirit of Christmas I felt.

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Erin

A Steamy Cup of Coffee....and a blog

Good Moooooorrrrrrrnnnnnningggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg! and Happy Sunday! I am enjoying my steamy cup of coffee and blogging away this morning. I have lots to do to get ready for Christmas next week.

I still have some more gifts I need to make and I need to wash some clothes etc.... Also, I want to watch a Christmas movie today! :) One thing that I am really excited about is the gift I got my Dad! I got him the cast iron chicken fryer that he has been wanting ever since he saw mine. It was kind of expensive, but I don't care! I told Leandro I would gladly give up anything I would be getting for Christmas in order to get this gift for my Dad! I guess that's a good thing since we are not getting each other anything this year for Christmas! LOL

I think Leandro was going to get me a little something but the extra money we had went to the fryer. That is the best gift in itself though! My Daddy has done so much for me this year and has been there for me and has been so supportive........my Christmas wish is to get something really nice for him....so I am so happy and soooo excited!!!!

On a different note..... the picture I posted is a picture of my coffee this morning in the new festive Christmas cup my Mom picked up for me at LeBlanc's supermarket. She is so sweet sometimes. I worry about my mom a lot. I hope that she enjoying the holiday season as much as I am. She seems to be......but sometimes it's hard to tell.

OHHH and yesterday I got all the things that I am going to need for Christmas Day. I am cooking a honey baked ham, macaroni and cheese casserole, and a peach cobbler. I am going to do all the cooking on Christmas Eve! I am sooooo excited!!!! I don't care that I can't eat any of it, LOL I just like to cook it.

So do you wanna know our Run Run Rudolph Christmas dine and dash schedule? LOL

So here it is:

It all starts Christmas Eve............

Christmas Eve Morning:

Cooking all day for Christmas Day.....ham, casserole, desserts......wrapping last minute gifts.....cleaning house

Christmas Eve Evening:

6:00 PM leave for Erwinville..........be in Erwinville for 7.....leave Erwinville for home at 12:30......arrive home at 1:30 AM

Christmas Day:

7:30-Wake up Take showers

8:30-Leave for the In-laws house

9:00-Open gifts with the in-laws and have breakfast as a family

11:30-Leave the in-laws

12:00- Arrive at Maw and Paws house for Christmas Lunch/and gift exchange

2:30- Leave Maw and Paw's

3:00-Arrive and Cj and Jen's for Christmas dessert/gift exchange

4:30- Leave Cj and Jen's

5:00- Arrive at Dad and Penny's for gift exchange

8:00-Leave Dad and Penny's

8:30- Arrive at Buita's for Christmas dinner/ gift exchange

12:30- Leave Buita's

1:00-Home

Day After Christmas:

Christmas with the Morgan's at the In-laws house

I know that looks like complete madness........and IT IS! But it's soooooo much fun! It's like an adventure. It feels just like the movies...lol

We might go to the first house where everyone is bitching and in a horrible mood....but then the next house people are singing Christmas carols....it's just sooo full of surprises...you never know what to expect! LOL

I can't believe we are going to FIVE places on Christmas Day! LOL How exciting!!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Erin

Stocking up......

So I am about to leave to go to my mother's house and then I am off to Winndixie in Walker to go grocery shopping for Christmas.....AHH madness! LOL

I hope it's not as bad as this picture I found on Google. I am smiling right now but angry holiday crowds can sometimes get to me. Perhaps if I think of it as more of an adventure than a chore......LOL

Leandro just brought me a warm cup of coco.....mmmmm.....perhaps I should think of that when I get frustrated! LOL

Merry Christmas Madness Sat.!!!!!!!

Love,

Erin

Today's events....

So after I stayed awake until 2 AM this morning baking my mother a happy 50th birthday cake, I went to bed feeling accomplished and ready for today. I woke up in a great mood and decided I wanted to surprise my mother with her cake.

So, even though I am not supposed to be able to drive until tomorrow.....I drove over to my Mom's to surprise her! She looked so cute! We hung out all morning until it was time for me to leave and come back home to get ready for my interview at Aero.

I got all cute-zied up and was ready to go. Leandro drove me out to the mall even though he wasn't feeling too good. When I got to the store they said the manager I was supposed to talk to had left for lunch...... or to shop for Christmas...... or some legal stuff. I got told three different things, LOL

One of the employees at the front of the store finally just told me to go and talk to the other manager. When I told him who I was he called the store manager and talked to her on the phone for a while and then came back and asked me if it was OK that she call me later on tonight for a phone interview. I said sure....then peaced outta there.

The manager was supposed to call me at six, but never called. This is the second time that the manager has rescheduled my interview, not to mention she didn't call. I think I am done with this place.... it seems wishy washy.......

Unless she eventually calls me with something worth my while, then I am just going to pass on this one. I came home from the mall and sent out about six more applications online, so hopefully one of them will work out.

Other than the manager not calling.....I had a fantastic day! I got to get out of the house, even if it was only for an hour or so. Tomorrow is going to be great because I can drive again and I am going to run the roads all day in celebration lol.

I am going to go and see Ashlie and give her the Christmas gift I have for her and then I am going to all my favorite craft stores!!!!! YAY!!!! I am so excited!!!

Job Interview...

OK so tomorrow I have a job interview at Aeropostale for a management position. I don't really want to go back to retail, but if I get the job..... at least it will be something until I find something better.

I look at it two ways...... if I get the job then that means good pay and benefits, and DISCOUNTS!!!! YAY! lol

If I don't get the job then I don't have to work in retail again or drive way the hell out to Bluebonnet or fight rush hour traffic.......

So the way I see it........ it can only be a win win :)

Wish me luck either way!

Love,

Erin