Monday, March 31, 2014

I'm here!

Hey guys!! Sorry I've been MIA lately. Been so busy with work, home life, the gym, school...you know. Sometimes I just need a break. I usually update on Instagram like every day so that is my usual posting place ;-) 

This weekend was so relaxing & fun. Not to mention, Dallas weather has been so beautiful! Spring has finally sprung around here & I'm loving it. Bring out the maxi dresses & spring dresses. 

Friday was a busy but kind of relaxing day. Work has been good so far. Busy but good since I'm learning new things and trying new processes. Still trying to step out of my comfort zone here. 

Rico went to doggy daycare but I'm sad I couldn't see him on the webcam. Yes, I take my dog to daycare. Only on Fridays though. 

I FINALLY booked my cruise for Blogcation! I am so stoked! I've never been on a cruise nor had a girls trip! I hadn't told Juan or my family because I wasn't 100% I was going but this baby is booked and I am going! Woohoo!


After work I went to get my grandma a birthday cake at Nothing Bundt Cakes. I'm so glad I did because it was delicious!! It was mine and my family's first time trying it. I think it will become our regular cake place. My grandma turned 77! My brother and I got her a few gifts and my parents gifted her an aquamarine ring. It's gorgeous!!! We all spent time there chatting and making memories. I love my family! 




Saturday morning my bestie Jeanette text me and invited me out for brunch. Of course we had to go to my favorite spot at Shops at Legacy, Main Street Bistro. We caught up chatting since I hadn't seen her since last month when my car got towed. After brunch we headed to the mall and shopped around. 


By the time I got home I was exhausted so a cat nap was due. Later on, Juan and I headed out for dinner at Three Stacks in Frisco. It seems like we are always there! The BBQ is really good! I wanted an alcoholic drink so I ordered a margarita and boy was it strong. 



After dinner, we headed home to watch Frozen. Don't judge. I really love that movie! Juan secretly liked it too, he just won't admit it! 


Sunday was a little different than most but I was so busy! I woke up early and met my dad at his shop. We worked on my car because my brakes had been making a grinding noise. Not good. My awesome daddy replaced my brakes and did an oil change. We had lunch afterwards and it was good daddy/daughter bonding time. 

I wanted to take my car for a car wash since it was feeling all brand new but I decided to wash it at home since the weather was amazing and we have all the stuff to wash cars at home. I love that doing a little maintenance to my car has me not wanting to get a new car anymore. It just needed some TLC. 


Sunday, March 23, 2014

Sunday Social

1. Top 3 things you cant go a day without doing
1. Food. 2. Rico 3.Talking to my mom. 


2. 3 things that scare you the most

1. Dying. 2. Delivering a child. 3. Failing as a parent.

3. 3 places you want to see before you kick the bucket

1. Hawaii. 2. Ireland. 3. Paris.


4. 3 movies you will always love

1. The Little Mermaid. 2. Clueless. 3. The Godfather 


5. 3 favorite current songs
1. John Legend "All of Me" 2. Beyonce "Partition" 3. Idina Menzel "Let It Go" - I loved the move Frozen! 


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

My Plastic Surgery Story [Part 2]

Hey guys! This is the second part of my plastic surgery story. Read the first part here

So where did I leave off? Oh, did I go through with the surgery? 

No. I had just graduated high school and I was a couple weeks out from starting college and I didn't want to miss time from the surgery so I put it on the back burner.

Time went on and I still struggled with my chest. I gained and lost some weight through the years and so did my chest but they were still large for my frame. 

The summer of 2009, I lost my job and went through a depression and was incredibly stressed out. Juan and I had just moved into a new apartment. With the job loss I figured I'd make that time worthwhile and workout and try to eat healthy. My idea of healthy back then was WAY different than what I think now. Working out and eating better I thought I'd lose some weight and instead I was gaining. In a matter of a couple of months I gained about 15-20 pounds which made me even more depressed. I went to see a doctor for this issue and was diagnosed with hypothyroid. My doctor put me on meds to get my thyroid under control but I was still having trouble getting the weight off. 

This was summer 2009 on my 22nd birthday.

With the weight gain, I felt uncomfortable and not very confident in myself. In all honesty, I even shut down job interviews because I felt horrible about myself and I didn't want anyone seeing me that way. I couldn't fit in any of my clothes and my large(r) chest just put me in a deeper depression. I was determined to get this fixed as soon as I found a job with health insurance. 


These are probably the last photos I have of a full body shot before my surgery. I was not very photogenic during that time. It is taking me a lot of courage to post these photos but I want to give you an idea of what I looked like just a few years ago.

When I turned 22, I knew I had to get it done. I gained weight because my thyroid was out of whack. I was working out trying to lose but to no avail. I remember crying some nights because I was so uncomfortable in my own body but I was doing all that I could. I was eating right, I was working out, but I was so depressed. I talked to my family and to Juan and they were so supportive of my decision. I couldn't wait any longer. I knew it was going to be the best decision for me.

I made an appointment and consultation with the same doctor in April 2010 and he answered all my questions regarding the surgery. His explanation with everything was so thorough and great and I felt entirely comfortable with him. We scheduled my surgery for June 2, 2010. He took photos and submitted them to my insurance company. The next few months I had researched (FYI, don't google any surgeries. It'll scare you.) I had also saved every penny I could to help pay for my deductible which was over $2800. I was ready. I knew that this decision was going to change me. 

Stay tuned for the last part next week to read about my experience! 

Thanks for reading! 

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

My Plastic Surgery Story [Part 1]

Thought I'd share my plastic surgery story with you all. Since it is kind of long, I'm going to split it up into three series and publish them weekly. I had a breast reduction in case you're wondering what kind of surgery I had and it was the best decision I ever made. If you're thinking about having a breast reduction or any kind of plastic surgery, ready my story. :)

Here it goes...

Since the age of about eleven I knew I had developed before any of the other girls in my class. When I was in fifth grade I remember being bra size B cup. Fifth grade? I remember boys talking to me only because I wore a bra. So lame but that was my life for most of my school years. Up until high school I was known as the girl with big boobs. I couldn't find a cute prom dress that would cover my chest, I couldn't wear anything strapless or spaghetti strap tops. It was awful. Aren't those the years where you can wear whatever you wanted?

I knew by the time I was 15 that I needed to have my breasts removed. I hated them so much that I wanted them gone. All gone. I would have rather had a flat chest than a size 36DDD/E. For my quinceanera, I had to have a strapless bra especially made for me because my boobs wouldn't fit in a regular size strapless bra you'd find at the store. I remember it was a size F. A size frickin F. I was 15 years old! I refused to buy bras that were bigger than a 36DD because the ones bigger than that were ugly granny bras. I was too young for that mess. So my boobs naturally made the muffin top over my bra or would peek through under the bra. I had straps break in the middle of the school day, the underwire poke through and dig into my ribs, and an awful rash from them being so large. They were dragging me down, literally.


My large chest kept me from playing sports or participating in dance in school because I was so self conscious about them. I knew people would stare. When I would work out, I'd wear a regular bra and a sports bra over it just to keep them from flying all over the damn place. I couldn't sleep without a bra on because it was more uncomfortable not to. 

Oh the struggle was real! 

When I graduated high school in 2005, my mom and I scheduled a consultation with a plastic surgeon near our home. He said that it was best that I get it done and most likely insurance would cover it. We had photos sent to insurance to see if it would be covered and they approved. 


Did I go through with the surgery? 

Stay tuned...




Monday, March 10, 2014

Relaxing Weekend

Happy Monday, y'all!! Are you all as confused as I am with the time change? I felt like I slept all weekend. I also did have a little fun but it was just enough to make it a relaxing weekend.

Friday night I met up with my friend Jessica to get our nails done. I was way overdue for a mani. Last time I got my nails done I did gel nails and they did not last. I usually get NexGen nails because they last longer on me and make it worth the money. Try NexGen, you'll never go back to gel or acrylics again! Instead of it being a polish, they apply a powder and you walk out with dry nails. They usually last me about 3-4 weeks with zero chipping or breakage. It's made my nails healthier too.


Saturday we all slept in until about 11am and it was awesome. Had some breakfast and cleaned the house a bit. I'm trying to stick to my "No Shopping" so I didn't go out shopping like I usually would. 


I finally decided to get dressed  to get ready for dinner. It was finally warm enough for a maxi skirt so I couldn't wait to try this Christina Skirt from Kiki La'Rue that my friend Jessica gave me. It fit perfectly since most maxis are too long on me. Juan even loved my outfit! 

We met up with some friends at a Turkish restaurant and the food was awesome. I had chicken shish kabobs, drank some Prosecco, and finished the night with some baklava.  They also have belly dancers there for entertainment. It was pretty funny when some older couple started dancing with the belly dancer. Lots of fun people watching. 

After dinner we walked over to another bar called Mexican Sugar to have a drink. I'd never been there before but I'd heard it was pretty good. I had a grapefruit drink and it was so tasty! I want another just thinking about it. I'd love to try the place out for some food. 

I guess we had too much fun the night before because we slept in until noon on Sunday. It didn't help that the time had changed but the sleep was much needed. Juan had a soccer game so while he was out I went to the grocery store. We were out of food! I hate being without food. I took a trip to Trader Joe's and stocked up on groceries. I bought almost the entire store! I also made a successful trip to Ulta and only bought shampoo, conditioner, and body wash because I was completely out. I surprised myself because I always walk out of there with more than I need. Ulta is like Target, walk out with more than you went in for. Ha!


The top row is Juan's! His beer and Crystal Light! 

The weather was perfect Sunday afternoon so Rico and I took a trip to the dog park. He is just like me because he doesn't really play and get involved. He likes to observe. He'll only play if another dog comes and tries to play. 


Ended the night with laundry and I also watched Dallas Buyers Club. Great movie! Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto did a phenomenal job with their characters. Such a great film and so touching. 

Spring seems like it's finally here in Dallas so the weather is perfect for patio sitting and going out for a run after work! 

Whew! I think my weekend was more eventful than I thought. Did you have a productive weekend? Or did you relax?

                                      Linking up with Dateless in Dallas and Showered With Design!
Dateless in Dallas

Friday, March 7, 2014

5 on Friday

[One]
Hallelujah! TGIF!


[Two]
Mama's birthday was a success! My dad make a killer meal for us all and my mom loved all her gifts. Great times with my family as always. 


[Three]
I had Zoes Kitchen for lunch yesterday and I'm still kind of upset that they forget the potatoes underneath the salad. I know it's better that I don't eat them but it seriously is the best part of the salad. It's almost like unwrapping a gift and when you finally get inside, it's just amazeballs. Oh well. It won't stop me from eating there on a regular basis, I'll just let them know for next time. 



[Four]
I just started the second season of House of Cards. First episode. What. The. F***. Wow. Just wow. If you don't watch it, you should. 


[Five]
I'm looking forward to having coffee at The Pearl Cup. I've been wanting to visit for a LONG time. The boy is taking me for breakfast tomorrow morning. I hope the coffee and drinks are as good as I've heard! 

[Source]


Have a great weekend! 





Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Time to Give Up

I didn't grow up going to church so I don't consider myself religious by any means but I am spiritual. I believe. Most of my extended family members are Catholic so I always saw them participating in Lent every year. I really never knew what it meant until I was older and decided to go to church on my own and do my research. In case you aren't familiar with Lent, it's when you give up something for a period of 40 days, starting today, Ash Wednesday. You can Google and read more into the meaning of Lent because there is a lot of information.

I have never participated because I always thought it was more of a religious thing. This year, I want to change that. I want to participate this year by giving some things up and to give back to my family, my community, friends, etc.  

Today, I am giving up shopping. You read that right. Shopping. I think I may be an addict or something because I always feel the need to buy something. Hey, the first step is admitting it, right? Now I'm not gonna get crazy or anything, I only mean giving up shopping for things I don't need like clothes, shoes, home decor, and makeup. I have everything I need already. It will also help me save some money for some trips I plan on taking later this year. 

I also have a confession. Since I knew I'd be giving up shopping for 40 days, I went on a small shopping spree last night after work. I needed to get it out of my system! Ahh...here goes to no shopping for 40 days. I can do it! 

Something else I'm going to try to give up: sweets/sugar. They are my ultimate downfall. I can eat clean all day, errday but if someone puts a candy or cupcake in my face I guarantee you 115% that I'm going to eat it like I'd never eaten anything in my whole life. I love candy, cake, ice cream, cookies. You name it I'll eat it. I'm not only giving it up because it's a luxury for me but I really need to buckle down on my eating. It'll help with final weeks of my challenge. 

I'll start giving this up tomorrow because today is my mom's birthday and we all celebrate with cake, right? Right. I need me a last piece of cake. 



Giving these things up I feel the need to give something back. I'm a giver by nature. I love to give because it makes me feel good. It doesn't even have to be anything of monetary value but even a phone call, text, or email to a family member to let them know you're thinking of them. I want to wake up every morning with positive thoughts and bring the positivity to my workplace. It's a struggle because we have to be realistic with our work, which I hate. I want to encourage my team to see the good in every situation even when our month looks bad. 


So there you have it. I have confessed my downfalls and my wish to give them up for 40 days. 

Are you giving anything up for Lent? 

Linking up with my girl Bella from Dateless in Dallas for Confessions. 


I also want to say Happy Birthday to my mama!! She's the best mama & the bestest friend I could ever have! Love!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Boho Dresses

This past weekend reminded me how much I love the spring season. The weather is just perfection. Not hot, not cold. With that being said, I am so ready to bring out my dresses and skirts. 

Lately I've been looking for Boho dresses. I'm not even sure what sparked it but I think they look great with cowboy boots, wedges, or flat sandals. And specifically the color white. It just yells SPRING time! Add some gold jewelry and you're set! 

Here are some I've been eyeing lately. 


What are you ready to wear this upcoming spring? 








Weekend Recap

Oh the dreadful Monday! Already the first weekend in March is over and done. 

My weekend was full of events and happenings which is kind of rare because I'm a homebody and like to just be home. 

I took the day off Friday because I had a floating holiday and I decided to just be a bum at home. I had zero intentions of doing anything besides watching House of Cards and ordering Zoes Kitchen for lunch which is exactly what I did. 

Thanks to my friend Jessica, she bought The Little Mermaid Musical tickets for us to watch Friday night so I had to get my butt out of bed and get ready to head to the Music Hall at Fair Park. I was so excited!! The Little Mermaid is my all time favorite Disney movie so I was over the moon that she invited me. We had dinner at Savor which is at Klyde Warren Park in Downtown Dallas. The food was great and the wine was delicious. Of course I had to wear Little Mermaid colors (aqua & lavender). During intermission we enjoyed champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. Definitely a fun night! 







My mom and I went to a family members baby shower Saturday morning. It was a great time spending it with family. It was at a Mexican restaurant and the food was good. After the baby shower we all headed to the a small boutique store next door called Beyond the Door. It is seriously the cutest shop I've ever been in. I ended up taking a few things home, shown below. Glad my mom and I could enjoy some time together. 



When I got home from the baby shower, Juan was having people over for game night. I'm not usually someone who likes to be around a lot of people so I thought I was gonna leave but I'm glad I stayed because it was a great time. We played Mario Cart on the Wii and Cards Against Humanity. Wow! That game is so funny and so me! LOL I had way too many glasses of wine and called it a night by 11pm. 

Sunday the weather took a turn for the worst. Old man winter came back. Saturday was 80 degrees, Sunday it was 21 degrees. Crazy ass Texas weather. I stayed in and did laundry and cleaned my house of the mess from the night before. Juan gladly went to the grocery store for me to get our weekly groceries. He was brave enough to drive out in the sleet and ice. We ended the night watching the Oscars which I'm upset because none of the nominees I was going for won anything. Poor Leo. I hope he wins some day. 



Well, off to brave this crazy weather! Hope you all had a good weekend! 

Linking up with Dateless in Dallas and Showered With Design!
Dateless in Dallas