Our New Wheels!

So we finally made the decision, to bite the bullet and get a new car! After nearly 4 years of driving the "Strats" as we call her. (A Dodge Stratus) We finally got something new. I couldn't be happier, we found a "used" although barely broken in 2006 Chevy Trailblazer. I am in love with the clean crisp white color and most of all the 4 wheel drive! Our little Trailblazer will be a nice addition and will accompany us on lots of road trips! Sand, Snow, Mountains, she can take it! :)

Wild About Leopard!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of making some sweet desserts for my cousin Jaslenes'  big birthday bash. If you know me you know I love a good theme party! This one had leopard and pink stamped allover it! Sounds like fun to me! I dove right in and fulfilled an order of 100 cupcakes and a personal cake for Jaslene. The party was amazing and I can't help but be filled with so much joy and happiness to be around all of my family from near and far. Happy Birthday Jaslene! I hope it was a sweet one! :)

Vintage Cupcake Love

I have started to slow down on my baking. I mostly have been taking things on that are for family and close friends. A few times a year,  I get an order from a very loyal and sweet friend I have come to know and I am always filled with excitement and honor to make the desserts for her and her 3 sweet girls.

I love her themes and ideas. They're always adorable and chic! This party's theme was "Vintage". She provided some patterned cupcake toppers and liners that are just to die for! I wanted to share a few photos of these adorable little vintage cupcakes. Thanks for reading. Enjoy!

A Quick Bench Makeover!

I have been making small improvements here and there to our home lately. Now that spring has sprung one of my favorite things to do is put on my Yankees cap, some holey jeans, grab some iced tea and go work out in the yard and around the house. I have been working on making the front porch an eye appealing entry way. (That is another post though!) I got the idea while laying in bed the other night (funny how the greatest ideas come to you when your almost halfway asleep!) to redo the old bench I have on the side yard and replace it with the one on the front porch. Once I get the one off the front porch it can go back to accompanying the rest of the patio set in the backyard and one day (hopefully this summer)  I can make the back patio a beautiful sitting area outside. But for now, it starts off with just a bench makeover. Enjoy!

-BEFORE-

-AFTER-

The Beauty of the Lord

Days when the weather is a little cloudy and the sun isn't too harsh I like to take the camera out and look for interesting things to photograph. I am by no means a "photographer". I just love to take photos of Gods creation. I believe there is beauty in everything on this earth. You just have to look close enough to see it. When it seems there's nothing beautiful there, look deeper.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Psalm 19:1

An Easygoing Easter

This Easter was definitely one to remember. I started off the morning by looking outside at what kind of weather we would be having for one of my FAVORITE days of the year. I saw dark clouds and a gloomy day ahead. I am somewhat of a control freak, I'm learning that things such as the weather are out of my control. So I moved on to asking the only one who controls the weather. "God, please make it a sunny day if that sort of day shall be in your will." The sun made an appearance shortly after that and lasted just until about 3 or 4 o'clock. Then all of a sudden and right before our eyes the dark clouds rolled in, huge winds began to blow! Dirt, leaves, and pretty much anything not secured down to the ground was blowing everywhere! I have never been in tornado weather but if I ever were to be I'd imagine it something like the crazy weather we were seeing! The rain came, then the hail it was absolute craziness. I don't ever remember an Easter like this in my life. It was quite an experience!

 I can't help but find the irony that the bible teaches us the day Christ was risen there was earthquakes and storm-like weather. I can only imagine the day that the Lord will return for his people and wonder what kind of weather shall accompany the Lord. One thing is for sure though, I am SO happy I am on his good side.

I snapped a few photos of some of our Easter festivities and they are such great memories. I'm so glad I captured these moments. I hope everyone had a blessed Easter weekend!

A Rainbow of Hope

-A rainbow from our balcony during our trip
to Maui in 2012-

Brandon and I received some of the most startling news about 3 weeks ago that have and will forever change our lives. His beloved and well known Uncle Robert had suddenly passed away after only 44 short years on Earth. This was a complete shock to the entire family and a loss like none other. Robert was one of the most kind, gentle, witty and personable people you would have ever met. I loved him as though he were my own uncle. I am saddened to think that my children will never know their precious Uncle Robert on Earth but I have such a strong faith that my unborn children are getting to know their Uncle in Heaven before they make their appearance on Earth. He will be deeply missed but I can't help but be filled with excitement and joy to know I will see him again in the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior. Until that day, we will miss you dearly Robert.

We celebrated the life of Robert on Thursday, February 28, 2013. I had a dream the following Friday night that had so much meaning and hope to me.

I dreamed I was standing in the middle of a forest. It wasn't a completely dark forest but it also wasn't a sunny one either. The tall pine trees stood so high they were blocking a lot of the light. I don't remember ever seeing anyone with me, but I was surely talking to someone and they were talking to me. As I stood in the forest I looked up to see a huge rainbow hovering right above me. I was awestruck in my dream and I remember my mouth being open and making the sound of "Awwwe!!!" The rainbow was so close to my head I was nearly standing in it. The bottom color of the rainbow was almost touching my hair. The voice told me "You can grab it!" and as I took the advice of the voice I jumped up and grabbed the rainbow and with a closed fist tried to bring some of it with me. Low and Behold, as I did, the rainbow (within an instant of touching it) turned into a "parachute-like" or heavy piece of rainbow colored fabric. I was covered in it completely. Like when you place a sheet over you and you can only see your head and arms poking out from it. I was underneath a fabric of "rainbow" In my dream I was in awe and held my arms out taking in this fabric and making the "Awe" noise while twirling with my arms wide open.

As I quickly awoke right after this I immediately thought to myself "What a cool dream! I wonder what it means??" I opened my dream dictionary app to read that:

"Usually a rainbow follows a rainstorm. If so, you have weathered a difficult time that is coming to a closure, this dream symbol may represent your optimism. Generally rainbows make people smile and feel happy."

I immediately thought of Robert when I read this. I was reminded of the Storm and story of Noah from the bible and the beautiful and giant rainbow God made when it was over. I know we will always miss Robert and our lives will never be the same without him. But I can't help but feel so much optimism and hope that he is with our Lord now. Probably making him laugh and smile as he did everyone else he came into contact with. We will see you soon. I know it. We love you Robert.

http://www.DonatetoRobertAguiar.com

 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 

Genesis 9:13

PS. About a week after I wrote this blog, I heard the song on the radio "The Revelation Song" by Phillips, Craig and Dean. Singing along I sang aloud "Clothed in rainbows, of living color..." and a light bulb immediately went off in my head and I was reminded of my dream. I got online and started searching for scripture about being clothed in rainbows. It turns out it is in the book of Revelation and I couldn't believe what I was reading; " He was robed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head..." The images in my head lay in the text right before my eyes in the bible and  I had no idea. The entire chapter was quite astonishing. The Lord never really never ceases to amaze me.

Revelation 10 (NIV)

10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. ² He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, ³ and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! ⁷ But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’^[a]” ¹⁰ I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”