Memorial Day Weekend

Devin, Blaine's cousin with Down
 drew this for us. So sweet! 

Thursday, Blaine and I said goodbye to Provo and were on our way to sunny San Diego! This was our first trip together to California. We had too much fun. The drive itself was fun. We had the time to just chat about whatever without worrying about school, taking out the trash, work, etc. Also, we were able to listen to the Heat game against the Bulls. We were sad because the Bulls were killing us the whole game. And by some miracle in the last minute and 15 seconds, the Heat decided to step it up. I was able to hotspot Blaine's phone and FaceTime with my family while they were watching the game. It was so intense and SO much fun! GO HEAT!

We stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites in Point Loma thanks to the Culvers. It was a really nice area and we had complimentary breakfast everyday. Our first day we were able to go to the San Diego Zoo. It was a beautiful day and seeing so much green was refreshing. Also, being at the zoo with kids always makes things even better. My favorite part was the panda viewing. They were adorable! After, we went to Mission Beach. It wasn't a Florida beach. But it was a beach! It felt so good to just lay in the sun and take a nap and TAN! It had been too long. The water was too cold to get in but the sound of the waves was wonderful. Playing in the sand with the boys was fun...Watching Tytee eat sand like it was some delicious candy was also entertaining. After the beach we visited Old Town. It was, well, an old town. It had a ton of little shops and authentic Mexican restaurants. We ate at Cafe Coyote. Good stuff. The tortillas were so good. I could eat them by themselves. After a long day, we went back to the hotel to shower. We played Monopoly Deal with Stace & Chris once the kids were sleeping. That game is so addicting. We love it! That night, Blaine and I were able to meet up with one of his old mission companions - Alex Riggins, and his girlfriend. We met at Golden Spoon for frozen yogurt that they treated us to! It was so nice of them. We had a great time.

The next day we went to Sea World. I hadn't been to Sea World since I was in pre-k. It was another beautiful day. We saw multiple shows that were so entertaining. We were actually there for the "premiere" of One Ocean - the new show with Shamu. It was legit. The park CEO or something came out and did the whole big scissors thing. Blue Horizon was a show that focused on dolphins. It was beautiful. It's amazing how intricate, smart, and unique animals are. To think that we  all came about by the same Creator is mind-blowing. Anyway, the sky tower and sky ride were free the day we went and Miles enjoyed the "sky tram" or "buckets" a lot. It all started out at the zoo. Instead of staring at the animals, he was looking up observing the "buckets." When he saw the sky ride at Sea World, he was so happy! It's funny how kids see the fun and goodness in the simplest of things. I almost forgot...we went to a delicious seafood restaurant - The Brigantine. I had a 3-course meal: clam chowder, prosciutto wrapped tiger prawns, monster-looking asparagus with roasted potatoes and a raspberry vinaigrette. And for dessert, crème brulée. It was so so good. Everybody loved their food.

Sunday was a great day as well. We woke up and found the nearest chapel and attended sacrament meeting. Afterwards, we visited the grounds of the absolutely GORGEOUS San Diego Temple. Although we couldn't do any sessions, it's fun to visit temples in different areas. You can just feel how important they are when you are near them. Blaine and I have a goal to visit every temple in Utah. So far we have Provo and Salt Lake City... not doing so hot. But we have gone to the Orlando Temple together! Anyway, I really do love to see the temple! 

For lunch on Sunday, we were able to visit Aunt Dinah Bates in Fallbrook California - just an hour away from San Diego. She is Blaine's maternal grandfather's sister. Phew. Anyway, I have heard about how wonderful this woman is. She always sends Blaine a birthday card and she also sent us a nice wedding gift! She cooked us a yummy lunch and we were able to spend some time together. She is just so nice. She also resembled Poppy a whole ton. They look alike, talk alike...they're totally related. Aunt Dinah showed us some old pictures and her mother's china. We were able to talk to her about her Puerto-Rican heritage. Poppy is full Puerto Rican but you'd never tell. He came to the U.S. when he was way young, stuck to English (to avoid discrimination), and has become totally Americanized. It's funny though. He still drinks "cafe con leche" and has a huge sweet tooth. There are traces of his Puerto Rican side in him. Aunt Dinah still makes "arroz con pollo" among other traditional, Hispanic dishes. I am just glad that I was able to meet more family. I was also surprised that she was so spunky. She's 85 years old and doesn't look it. We had a great time with her. Hopefully we can visit again soon! 

Although we were sad to leave San Diego, we had a great time in Vegas. It was nice to have the long drive split into two and to have down time with Stace, Chris and the kids. Sunday night Stacey showed me how to make hair flowers. I've been dying to ask her to show me and she offered before I gathered the courage to ask! She also showed me some of her latest projects. She is so creative and crafty! I wish we lived closer so that we could do things like this more often.

Monday, we changed our tires at Walmart and ate at Farmer Boys. It was so good! I had a chicken club sandwich while Blaine killed a half-pounder. We also ordered a yummy shake and funnel fries. We just found out that they opened one in SLC! Yum! We hung out a little bit more and finally decided it was time to go. Another great thing about this trip is that Stacey gave me one of her Cricut machines! She has a larger one and doesn't use the smaller one as much (or at least that's what she told me). I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning or something. On the way home, all I thought about was my new toy. I am so excited to use it! Thank you Stace! 

BUT before going home, we encountered some obstacles. We were on the highway and the car just felt weird. It was rattling a little. So Blaine pulled off to a safe spot and checked out the tires. Some of the bolt-looking things were a little loose. We had to go back to Walmart and they said that they really couldn't do anything and that it wasn't that important or something like that. I just sat in the car while Blaine talked to the mechanics. I know nothing about cars since my dad was a mechanic. Car stuff was always handled by him. I don't like dealing with it! Anyway, one nice guy offered to balance the tires again for free although they were supposed to balance them anyway when they put the new tires on. Well, they didn't. So that was the problem. It was a pretty big setback. We were delayed by 2 hours. We were extremely tempted to just stay the night but I had work early in the morning! We prayed that we'd have a safe trip through the night and arrived safely at home around 1:30 AM. 

The only bad part of our vacation was the end. We didn't want to leave. The weather was so nice. Once we passed St. George, the temperature dropped to like 40 degrees! Yikes! But the hardest thing to leave was our family. We are so happy that Stace and Chris are near for the time being. We love spending time with them. I wish we were closer! They are just great people. I'm so happy that I married into a family that I absolutely love and feel comfortable with. Also, by far my favorite part of the trip - putting my little 3 year-old nephew to bed. Blaine and I read him two books and then read a scripture story to him. Afterwards, Blaine helped him say his prayer (his usual routine). After all that, he came up to me and simply said "Can we cuddle?" I about melted right there. So we cuddled. And I was the happiest person ever at that moment. The best part is that he asked me instead of Blaine! That kid has been and continues being obsessed with his uncle (the obsession is mutual). So this was a big deal for me. All in all, we had a great time. I don't know when our next vacation is (other than the cruise - 74 more days! Excited much? YES) but I hope it's sooner than later! Vacations and traditions make memories and bonds between families that are stronger than anything else!

May 26

It's my sister, Damaris', birthday. She's turning 23! And this year is the first birthday that I won't be with her to celebrate! So sad. But anyway, I just wanted to share 23 things that I love about my sister. [I saw this on my friend's blog. She did this for her husband's birthday and I just loved it. So I stole the idea :) Thanks Erin!]

1. Sometimes, she leaves me voicemails singing to whatever song is being played in the car on her way home from work. It's hilarious.

2. She understands the ridiculous things that go through my mind. I can talk to her for hours on end about shopping and decorating, etc. - the frivolous things of life.

3. When we go shopping together, she dances in the clothes that she tries on. Again, hilarious. Damaris came up to Provo back in August of 2009 to wedding-dress shop. I had so much fun. Not just because it's one of the funnest experiences you can have as a sister, but because she danced in the dresses she tried on! We had a blast.

4. She's a wiki-face. She wiki's everything and anything. And therefore knows everything. Yes. Everything.

5. She plays the piano. She doesn't play Clair de Lune or anything, but she picked up piano to play hymns. Although we had some piano classes when we were younger, she basically taught herself after our piano teacher sold us out. I find it pretty amazing. I had too much pent up anger towards our piano teacher to continue playing. Jay-kay.

6. She inspired me to love cooking. When she was engaged to Bruce, she always said that she would never have to cook. "Bruce is happy with bagels and cereal." After the wedding, next thing you know, she's into cooking and making all of these yummy meals. It's fun to talk to her about different recipes and, our favorite Food Network chef, Rachael Ray.

7. Damaris keeps me updated with what's "in" on the East Coast. From fashion to music, she's my personal informant.

8. This may be ridiculous but it's the truth. I have trouble going to one particular class and Damaris makes sure that I am awake and on my way to class. She looks out for me 2,557 miles away. Our relationship has managed to go unchanged regardless of the distance. If anything, it has gotten stronger. She contacts me at least once a day. I really appreciate it.

9. She finishes my sentences and understands my jumbled thoughts (not any easy task).

10. She loves Blaine and treats him like a brother!

11. Something that I've recently noticed in sister-sister relationships is that there are sisters who don't agree on the same things or don't have the same interests. Well, Damaris is the coolest sister out there because (literally) we like the same exact things. Music, fashion, food, hobbies, shows, movies, goals...minus the math.

12. When we were young, I'd want to play "casita" (being a mom) and she always wanted to play banker. She has always been motivated and dedicated to school. She is graduating this August with a BA in Accounting and going straight into her masters program ::applause::

13. So not only does she dance in dressing rooms, she dances all the time (randomly). I wish I had access to the pictures of us on a trip to D.C. when we were 10 and 12 years old. There are several pictures of her dancing on the sidewalk and one where she's in an elevator doing the moves in the video "Everybody" by the Backstreet Boys.  Eleven years later, she does the same thing.

14. She's a great example to me and supports me in everything.

15. She buys me things I need/want. I have to be careful when talking to her about these things. I just casually mention that I need/want this or that and next thing you know, I have a package a couple of days later.

16. We share clothes (still). There have been times when I have taken a shirt of hers back to Utah (not purposefully) and left something of mine in Miami. We like to wear each other's newest articles of clothing/accessories when we're reunited. It's fun.

17. She threw the coolest Bachelorette party for me! And was the best Maid of Honor ever.

18. Damaris is extremely giving and aware of everyone's needs. She is a big help to all those who surround her, especially family.

19. She would always be on my side when I was being chastised by Mommy for anything 0:)

20. On the nights that Blaine works, she stays up to talk to me or Skype so that I won't be lonely.

21. She makes life fun.

22. She's beautiful - inside and out.

23. She's my best friend.

Although I won't be with her this day, I hope she feels the love and appreciation that I have for her. She deserves a great birthday! Happy Birthday to the world's greatest sister!

(I'll be there next year!)

Stores that Don't Exist in Utah

So in exchange for the thousands of temples and an awesome university, Utah stole several stores from my life.

Publix: Neatest and cleanest grocery store out there. Their produce is extremely fresh. Their bakery is amazing as well as their deli. My sister's favorite ice cream cake is from Publix. It's this deliciousness of cookies n' cream and I don't know what else. But it's good. It is a shame that they only exist in Florida - North Carolina. Also, all Publix buildings are cool-looking. Maybe it's all mental cause it reminds me of Florida and I'm just biased. Finally, my grandma shopped there and she cooked amazing. I guess I just associate the greatest food ever with Publix - "Where Shopping is a Pleasure." Literally.

Crate & Barrel: Well for any of you who have been to Crate & Barrel, you would know why I'm so disappointed that Utah doesn't have a single store. It's classic yet modern - they have the perfect combination. One good thing about this store not being in Utah is that they're a little pricey. So I'm glad Ikea is here instead. But I wouldn't mind a Crate & Barrel Outlet! That's the best!

The Container Store: Alrighty. Confession - I'm a neat freak. Sometimes, Blaine thinks that I might have some sort of OCD. I wasn't this bad until we moved into our tiny, 500 sq. ft apartment. Because it is small, I have to have a perfect system in order for everything to fit! If something is out of place, the whole apartment can look like a mess in no time. And no dwelling place of mine is going to be messy! So, I really miss The Container Store. They just have EVERYTHING that you could possibly imagine to be organized. They have these little cord/cable organizers that I'm just obsessed with. I hate cables. Anyway, it's just heaven for anybody who is even slightly interested in organization. I highly recommend it, unless if it will worsen your OCD. Although their online store will suffice for now, it's not the same as actually seeing the products in person. The nearest ones would be Scottsdale, Arizona or San Diego, California. I'll see if I could go to the one in San Diego this weekend!

Zara: Zara is a quality, European clothing store. I was first introduced to it at my favorite mall in the whole world - Aventura Mall. The last time I bought something there was February 2009. My mom and Damaris took me on a little shopping spree for my birthday.

H & M: Well, thank goodness they have one  in Vegas. It's like a quality Forever 21 - cause let's face it. Forever 21 is not quality. Also, Blaine really likes it! And I like how their clothes looks on him too :) The lame thing about my H & M experience is that I came out to BYU before they finished building the one in Miami. So I went to the ones in Orlando, Vegas, Delaware and New York City. I feel that I don't have a store like H & M near. The closest malls to me have like either crappy stores or really high end stuff that, although I love, can't pay the price at this point of my life! So H & M would be perfect in this little college town, but I guess corporate doesn't seem to think so.

Farm Stores: Ok so really, this is called La Vaquita in my book. That's how everybody calls it back home. It's the only drive-thru grocer in South Florida! And, honestly, I've never seen a drive-thru grocer anywhere else. Basically, I grew up going to La Vaquita with my mom whenever she just needed something really fast and didn't feel like going to the grocery store. For example, you're going to make this recipe and realize that you just ran out of eggs. You would just get in your car, drive up, and get some eggs! I must sound like a lazy bum but oh well. This would be great in Utah, especially during the winter! I also have good memories of just passing by and grabbing a Snickers ice cream bar after school with my mom.

Marshalls: This is the store that I'm most upset about. How could a Marshalls not exist in thrifty Utah?!?! Ross and TjMaxx are good, but Marshalls is best! The funny thing is that I could've sworn that there was a Marshalls in Utah and that I had actually gone to one before. The other day, I wanted to go to find a dress and I realized that that was just some crazy illusion in my head. What a disappointment! And the frustrating thing is that there are commercials for Marshalls out here! How torturous! I feel that I always find something good at Marshalls. They have beautiful brand (modest) dresses and church skirts for great prices! My whole family shops at Marshalls and always find amazing deals. Well, not me. CAUSE IT'S NONEXISTENT HERE. Also, the Ross' and TjMaxx's here aren't as good as other ones that I've been too. I always feel that the racks and shelves are empty. Lame.

Well, that was my little rant about stores that I miss and would really like to have in good ol' Provo. If you're in the Provo area, what are some stores that don't exist here that you like?

Cuban Cuisine

So, as you all know, I'm Cuban. I admit that although I absolutely LOVE Cuban food, I do not know how to make many Cuban dishes. I just never learned from either my grandma or mom. Shame on me, I know. How could I. And my poor husband, having served in Miami, craves Cuban food all the time. You'd think that being married to a Cuban would guarantee a yummy Cuban dinner at least once a week. Well, that's not the case. 

One of my goals for the year was to cook more Cuban food. I really do love it and find it delectable. It's also a pretty simple and basic cuisine. Last week, I tried making tostones. It was my first time making them, and therefore, fried them for too long. Although they were a little burnt, it tasted like heaven to me! I haven't had tostones in forever! I'm confident that I will nail it next time. (Here's the recipe.)

Last night, I made something that I was more comfortable with - batido de trigo. Basically, it's a wheat shake and my favorite shake of all time. The way Cubans make shakes is interesting. They have a "master recipe" and then just add a few different ingredients to make different shakes. It's usually just the master recipe with one fruit. We don't mix fruits too often. It's really simple and really delicious. So I'll share the master recipe with you and you can add whatever fruit you like to make a traditional, Cuban shake! 

Master Recipe

1 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)

1/2 cup crushed ice

Basically, the sweetened condensed milk is what makes it Cuban. We love it! It's not the healthiest thing in the world but I don't care!  I mix it in my oatmeal sometimes. If you don't love sweetened condensed milk, then decrease the amount or just omit it all together. So for the wheat shake, all you do is add 1 cup of puffed wheat cereal and a pinch of salt. You put everything in the blender except the ice and process until frothy. Add the crushed ice and process until the ice is ground fine and the batido is thick and rich. And voila...you just made yourself a Cuban shake! 

Traditional Cuban fruits to add are mamey, banana, guanábana, mango, passion fruit and papaya. But like I said, you can add whatever fruits you'd like.

I'll be posting more of my endeavors to become the Cuban chef I ought to be! 

Enjoy! 

"Remember, eyebrows aren't twins - they're sisters"

In preparation for our trip to San Diego, I was making appointments for my mani, pedi, and eyebrow wax today. I decided that I should share a very intimate part of this beautifying experience - my eyebrows.

So for those of you who know me, you know that I am very picky with eyebrows. Ever since I moved out west, I've had serious issues trusting people with my eyebrows. Consequently, I would do my eyebrows every time I visited Miami and would try to keep them as nice till my next visit. It sounds a little extreme but we're talking about my eyebrows here. (My roommate Nina thought I was crazy).

Well, I've let go of my paranoia on several occasions. The first was on a visit to Vegas to see the Culver Family. Stacey had just gotten her eyebrows done and they looked great. So I gave it a shot. Turns out that the girl who waxed her eyebrows had left for the day. I went with some other lady that seemed promising. It wasn't horrific but just not what I wanted. Again, I let them grow and waxed them in the comfort of my trusted Hialeah salon.

My next experience was at Ruth's Salon in Provo. I was at Forever 21 one day and saw this girl with beautiful eyebrows. I asked her where she went to do them and she directed me to Ruth's Salon. It was a little Mexican place. The girl who did my eyebrows actually served her mission in Blaine's ward back at home. That's irrelevant to the story but I thought it was cool. Anyway, same thing. She did an OK job. The price was good and that would be the only thing to bring me back.

For my wedding, I obviously couldn't fly to Miami to get my eyebrows waxed. I was really freaking out because, well, eyebrows are important to me. A friend of mine told me to go to 9 Salon and Spa in South Jordan. Now this time, I was a little bit more comfortable with the way they turned out. But 1) it was pricey, 2) it was all the way in Jordan! 9 Salon and Spa was a lifesaver for my wedding day, and for that I'm extremely grateful, but I won't be returning. Unless they relocate to Orem or Provo...

Now that I am married and won't be returning to Miami for the spring/summer semesters (boo), I set out to find a local wax salon that met my needs. Before heading out to Steamboat Springs, I came across the most adorable little wax salon ever. That wasn't a hyperbole. This young, college-age beauty school graduate chick turned her parents shed into her salon. It's called Wixy Wax. The environment is so cute. It's Ikea-decorated (only an Ikea freak would know that) with lime green walls. She also had Enya, Regina Spektor, and Coldplay playing in the background. She did such a good job at creating a clean, cute, and relaxing atmosphere. First of all, she took me in last minute after she had turned off all of the heating equipment for the day. Second, she spent an hour on my eyebrows. Now, it's not cause she was slow. It's cause I was ridiculous in trying to explain the look that I like - my dream eyebrows. She was extremely patient and understanding. The wax that she used was great for my skin. It didn't cause my skin above my eyebrows to swell or breakout. Best of all, she gave me an upper lip wax for free because I didn't know that she only took cash. It gets better. She has like a frequent diner card program where on your third service, it's half off. Her customer service was amazing. She even emails you a couple days after to make sure if you've had any irritation or allergic reaction. AND if you realized that you didn't love your eyebrows, you can go back within the week for free. I just had a wonderful time.  So, all in all, it was a great experience.

Now, I'm not bragging about my eyebrows at all. They turned out as best as they possibly could. But the truth is, I wasn't blessed with inherently beautiful and luscious eyebrows (or eyelashes), like Kim Kardashian. And I guess that's why I'm obsessed with them.

The real reason I'm rambling on about eyebrows is because I learned an important lesson while at Wiky Wax. After an hour of trying to figure out how I wanted my eyebrows to look, Lana told me "Daylin, remember, eyebrows aren't twins - they're sisters!" Words of wisdom right there. I realized that this whole time I was being unrealistic as to what my poor little eyebrows could be. Besides the fact that they do not grow thick the way I would want them to and that there is a patch that doesn't grow at all (due to a traumatizing wax burn), my eyebrows aren't shaped the same way at all. And I have to live with that. And it's okay! As long as I have somebody that I trust with my eyebrows for the next year and a half while we're in Utah, I'm one happy camper.

If you're still reading this post, then you have just read the history of Daylin's eyebrows. Thank you for caring! 

the end :)

Happy Mother's Day!

In the spirit of Mother's Day, I've been reflecting on important lessons learned from the wonderful women in my life.

Although almost 5 years have come and gone since her passing, my dear grandma continues having a great influence on me. Elena Rosa Mesa was the coolest, classiest, and best grandma in the world. For the last 5 years of her life, she moved into our home. I find myself doing some of the things that she would do, though at the time I thought it was weird or didn't understand the reason why. For example, before heading out the door Abuela would always brush her teeth for like 10-15 minutes. Seriously, who brushes their teeth for that long? Well, now I do. I still don't think that I have a reason for brushing them for that long. I don't think I ever will. It just feels good. Another thing that I have found myself doing is deep cleaning the whole apartment before we go away on vacation. Now, there is wisdom in this. When you come back from a relaxing time away from home, the last thing you want to do is come home to a dirty house! You already have to unpack, do laundry, yadda yadda yadda. She passed away while on vacation in Daytona, FL. When we came back home, there was not a trace of dust in her little efficiency apartment. Abuela was also extremely punctual. I haven't mastered this yet but I'm working on it! She was never late to church, to pick me up from school, or anything. I really admired and appreciated that. One thing about Abuela that I admired was her amazing cooking skills. She cooked everyday. When I came home from school, I'd have a delicious, warm meal ready to devour. As most of you know, I am an extremely picky eater. She always witnessed me picking out onions from my plate. The next day, she cooked my favorite meal "carne con papas y arroz blanco." I told her that it was delicious but that the flavor wasn't the same. She told me in Spanish, "Well there you go. I didn't put onions in this time." I love onions. Sunday dinners were the best. But she would prepare as much as possible Saturday night to keep the Sabbath day as holy as possible. She never told me her reasoning until I asked her one day. That was the way my grandma was. She lived her life going about doing good in a quiet manner. Above all, my grandma showed me that there was nothing more important in life than family. My last memories of her were helping me put stickers on candy for my campaign for the Student Government Vice-President position late into the night. It was late and we'd just talk and she'd call me "La Senadora" (the Senator). Another thing that she did a lot was watch me and my sister get ready when we were going out on the weekends. She'd suggest outfits and always complain that our lip color was too plain. She was a fan of reds and oranges when we would just wear nude lip gloss. Now every once in a while, I go bold with pink. She found joy in the simplest things in life, like seeing her granddaughters get all dolled-up. She never missed a show, pep-rally, dance competition, church talk, etc. Finally, she taught me that you never stop being a mother. 

From my mother, I learned that Halloween costumes are way better when they're homemade. That in order to cook all you need to do is "uno, dos, tres - Sazon Completa!" I learned to love dance and music. Our house was always full of music. When I go back to visit, it still is. Science fair projects can be fun - especially when you always won 1st place. I learned that purple is the best color in the universe cause it's both of our favorites. I learned that picking out your clothes and laying it out the night before saves you a lot of time and hassle in the morning. I learned that it's okay to listen to Christmas music in July, especially when you're working on Christmas ornaments or stockings. My mother has a love for holidays. She would always decorate to the max and bring the holiday spirit into our home. It was definitely contagious. My sister and I both love decorating our apartments for each and every holiday. I learned that half of the things in the store can be made at home. Whenever I see something I like - a skirt, necklace, some decorative thing, etc. - she says that she knows how to make it. And she's right. She has the ability to see something and understand how it got to be that way. Lucky her. One thing I regret now that I'm away from home is not taking the time to learn more from her. She knows how to sew, crochet, cook great, make beautiful floral arrangements, gift wrap like if there was a Santa, and the list goes on forever. When I was younger and was learning about Leonardo da Vinci, I thought that my mom was as cool as he was. He knew how to do everything. So did she. So I called her the "Renaissance Woman." My mom always bugged me about making my bed every morning. Sometimes I did, other times I didn't. Now it is one of my greatest pet peeves. If the bed isn't made, it drives me insane. Poor Blaine hears my nagging and complaining about the bed not being done the days he sleeps in. Now that I have my own teeny apartment, I have come to appreciate my mother a lot more. There are only two of us and I feel that I'm always doing laundry, making the bed, cleaning, doing dishes, cooking, etc. I never understood how much hard work it takes to run a home! I wish I would've helped out more, instead of dodging chores like if it were some evil curse placed upon me. An adage that I will always associate my mother with is - "Be productive." Whenever I told her that I was bored, that's how she'd respond.

I'm blessed to have an aunt that is like my mom. She doesn't just send a card for my birthday and calls every other month. This woman is involved in my life. She knows me as well as I know myself. She cares for me like my mother does. She has shown me that love knows no bounds. When Blaine proposed back in December 2009, she was in Gatlingburg Tennessee. Although they had spoken before, she wasn't going to be able to meet Blaine till the summer. We were leaving Miami before her stay in Tennessee was over. With the support of her amazing husband, Ulises, they left a day early and drove 14 straight hours to catch us at the airport for just 5 minutes. Sounds crazy, maybe it is but it makes me feel so loved and special every time she does something like that. I have been the recipient of that love ever since I was born. She spoiled us growing up (and still does). Every Saturday she'd take Damaris and I to the mall. She was also there for every show or event. She helps me edit papers, talks, whatever is needed. She gives all of herself unconditionally - always. She was an aunt since age 19. She had 2 to 3 jobs at a time (to help provide for us) and went to school. And she still found the time to see us everyday. When we all lived together back in the day, I'd patiently wait for her to get home by the window. Having tia come home from work must've been the most exciting part of my day. She has given me wise counsel in times that I've needed it the most. She has taught me to "take it one day at a time" and to not care what people think. Tia has taught me the difference between a situation and a problem. A situation is something that has a solution. A problem is something that can't be fixed. Thanks to Tia, my life has a lot of situations and very, very few problems. One thing I've learned from Tia is that you can be a successful professional and a great mother. Not only is she involved in her nieces and nephews lives, but she has a family of her own! She is there for every school party, dance, show, award ceremony, little league practice, basketball game, karate class, field trip, etc. She's like the Energizer Bunny. She just keeps on going and going and going. When I first came out to BYU, my family had some trouble adjusting to the time change. Tia wakes up super early. So she'd text or call me when she woke up (never later than 6:00 AM). That is 4:00 AM Mountain  Standard Time. Once when I was already in Miami for the summer, I received a text from Tia at 3:30 AM. I was sleepy and was used to thinking that it was 2 hours earlier on the east coast. Later on I came to the realization that I wasn't in MST. She was awake at the time! She is one of the most productive persons that I know and also one of the happiest.

Now, my sister isn't a mother (yet) but I feel that she has been training since the day I was born. Obviously I don't remember this, but my mom would tell me that Damaris would bring two diapers out after our bath - one for herself and one for me. Although we're only a year and 8 months apart, she has always been there to support and comfort me. She gives me advice - from which lockers were the best in high school to how to file my taxes. She has been a guiding hand in my life. Damaris cares about Papo and I like if she were our mother. She was my escort at the temple and an example of a believer my whole life. When I was younger, I thought that all sisters had this type of relationship. Now, I realize that this isn't so. She doesn't have to care about us the way she does. There is rarely any fighting, jealousy, competition, or any of that sort of stuff that you see in TV shows. On the contrary, she is caring, nurturing, loving, supportive...just like a great mother would be!

In addition to the wonderful women in my family, I have been blessed with a mother-in-law that I truly love. I'm so grateful for her and for the relationship that we have. She also gives me advice and is just extremely supportive of both Blaine and I. I never imagined that I could chat with my mother-in-law on the phone for as long as we do and find it enjoyable! I really cherish those phone calls and the random packages that brighten my day. All of the women in Blaine's family are unique. Both grandmas are sweet yet strong women with admirable lives. The same can be said of his sisters and aunts. From being a single parent to having twins to surviving the deployment of her husband, I have learned lots from these mothers of all walks of life. It is my hope that I can prepare now as much as possible to be half of the mother that all these women are!

I saw this video last mother's day but I think that it's worth watching again (even on regular days!)

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers out there! 

You are greatly appreciated & loved!

Update

Well, we're 2 weeks into spring semester. Finally, the weather is cooperating. Spring might finally be here. It snowed last Saturday. It made me extremely homesick. It's not supposed to be cold in April! I've been having trouble sleeping just thinking about Florida and my family. Anyway, classes have been going well. I'm really enjoying my golf class. It's Monday through Thursday right after work. I have found it to be surprisingly relaxing and quite a workout. My arms have been sore all week! Blaine says it's cause I've never used those muscles before. Hopefully, I can get good enough to play 18 holes with Blaine.

Working full-time has been really rewarding. Work has gotten extremely busy. I rarely have down time. But I don't mind. I feel that when we work more, we feel more motivated to accomplish other tasks. I have also been waking up earlier, which is something that I struggle with. Blaine and I started actively going to the gym this week. I've missed zumba a ton. It really helps me relax, go to sleep, and it gives me a ton of energy!

For those of you who know me, you know that I have trouble eating fruits. Yes. I don't like fruits...at all. But this week I have had strawberries TWICE. I am very proud of myself. This might sound ridiculous, but this has been a life-long struggle for me. I finally love veggies but now I'm working on the fruits. I made a strawberry parfait for Blaine and decided to try some myself. I layer oats, a little bit of brown sugar, Dannon's Light & Fit vanilla yogurt, and finally top it with chopped strawberries. It is way yummy!

Last weekend we spent some time with the Stevenson's. I went shopping with Nina and the boys joined us at Red Robin for lunch. When we were leaving, we realized that Matt's tire was about to pop. So we followed them to Big Ol' Tires, they dropped off their car, and spent the rest of the day at our apartment. Sunday morning, we had a special Sunday in the Marriott Center. We also picked up Matt & Nina. The church dissolved all "BYU" Married wards and created new Provo Married Student wards. That way, anybody can attend the wards. Leadership hopes to reactivate those in our area that aren't BYU students. I think it's a great idea. Although many changes were made, our ward boundaries stayed the same. 

We have been working on our apartment again. We installed some shelves in our bathroom since we don't have a medicine cabinet. I've never been so grateful for medicine cabinets in my life! Now, we have much more space on our sink countertop. I also spray painted my jewelry organizer to match our bathroom. I've never thought about spraypainting anything because I thought it'd be a waste of money to buy a whole big can for a little project. But I found these super tiny spray paint cans that I absolutely fell in love with! As a small person, I guess I appreciate small things :)

Before

After

Blaine and I finished watching Prison Break about a month ago. So we started 24. Although 24 is great, I still like Prison Break more. I miss it so much! That was the first series that I've ever finished. I highly recommend it! (Matt & Nina are currently hooked). In about 3 weeks, we will be going to San Diego with the Culver family. We are extremely excited! I haven't been to California in 7 years. But I'm even more excited to spend time with family! It makes me less homesick. Home is where family is. Even though I'm homesick, life is great. I'm excited for the summer and the sunshine that comes with it!