Christmas & some venting....

I just downloaded my photos from this past weekend and was thinking about what a great Christmas weekend we had. We started out Christmas eve at Oscar's Sisters with a tamale dinner followed by some yummy flan. Played a little tabu with my nieces and watched one of them open up a brand new pair of coach shoes from her boyfriend... Apparently high-schoolers nowa days get coach from there boyfriends?? When Oscar and I were in high school he got me a stuffed bear... So the next morning the kids woke up to gifts from Santa and stockings full of goodies. Then it was off the to the movies... It's a tradition each year after we open gifts to head to the movies before noon when it's only $5! This year we saw "Tangled" and EVERYONE loved it! Yes even Oscar! Thinking back I wonder if it was really that good or if we are all just deprived from not having a TV... hmmm? So later on my family came over for brunch and we did some gift exchanging. My mom hooked up Oscar with a camo hat and a hunting T-shirt along with "A Cartridge in a bare tree"! Grandma & Grandpa got Target gift cards for all! Oh how we love Target! Later in the evening Oscar's family came over and Oscar made everyone barbecued duck! This is normal when you are married to a hunter... Oh did I mention that having a deer head in your freezer is also normal!?! Naming the deer and it having birthdays because it has been in the freezer so long... Not so normal!!! Sorry to get off subject... but sometimes a blog is the perfect place to vent... OK all better... ;o) So lots of good memories this past weekend and some pictures to share of course!

Welcome to the 21st century!

So I finally gave in and got text messaging! I know everyone and there Grandma already has it but I was just fine with out it... Or at least I had been until the other day when I found Oscar a shirt at Goodwill but wasn't able to text him a pict of it before I threw down a Whopping $3.99! So after that I was convinced I needed text... Well that and my hubby really wanted it! (He had enough of Adam's peer pressuring!) Lol! So anyway I called T-mobile up and let them know we were finally ready for text! The guy then attempted to offer me a free month of Internet... I told him I had to get texting down 1st before I could consider Internet! He chuckled and said OK we will take baby steps... He must have thought I was the biggest dork which is kinda true...

On 12/24 I sent out my 1st text letting everyone know the BIG news!!!
Here were some of the replys...

Bianca: OMG your funny
Angela: Super xcited 4 u. Now you gotta learn the txt lingo :)
Lenny: Bla Ha Ha Ha!!
Jeanette: Yayyyyy!
Manny: Its about time girl
Jen: You are the biggest dork! But I <3 u.
Araceli: OMG... You are in the loop!
Linda: LOL! :)
Lilly: Yay! Its about time!:)
Sarit: Welcome to the 21st century. Lol! That's awesome!
Yolanda, Susie & Elva: Welcome to the 21st century!
Alisha: ? (accidentally deleted hers!) Hey I'm new at this!

TTYL (Talk to you later)
Amanda

Cookie Exchange

Every year I look forward to hosting my cookie exchange and this past weekend's party was no exception! Each year the cookies get better and the number of friends in attendance continue to grow... This year there was a total of 25 ladies! I had so much fun that it completely slipped my mind to take a group pict!! Oh well!

So this year I had 4 categories... Best Tasting, Most Creative, Most Festive and the Prettiest cookie! After lots of tasting and much liberating the judges (me, Dona & April) went with Lilly's very scrumptious "Chocolate Oreo Balls" for BEST TASTING cookie! Then everyone had a chance to vote for the other 3 categories... The MOST CREATIVE cookie was unanimous and went hands down to Carmen for her "Melting Snowman's"!!! Although Angela's cookies tasted terrible (Just keepin it real! Lol!) they were very festive and that is why she took home the prize for MOST FESTIVE with her "Peppermint Candy Canes"! Elisa took home the prize for PRETTIEST cookie er.. uh.. pretzel! lol! They were NOT cookies but they were so darn pretty!!! After the cookie swapping we had a white elephant exchange and the cat claws came out! j/p! No really it was all fun in games and it was great to see everyone laugh and have a good time! I can't wait for next year!

It wasn't till almost midnight when I realized I hadn't take a group photo! So I placed my camera on the stairs and took this pict! We all laughed how it looked like we just found buried treasure!

Me still loving Sis. Yolanda's "Smart Cookie" shirt!!! She wore it just for me!!!

2010 Contreras Family photo shoot

My friend Jen has really taken her photography business to the next level... The only problem is she had gotten so good that I couldn't afford her! My days of free photography were over! ;o) Lol! She recently offered mini sessions for a fraction of the price and so I of course jumped at the chance! Here are some of my favorite ones...

Cookie Exchange

It's almost that time... Well not exactly but in 16 days I will be hosting my annual Cookie Exchange! I have already heard so much talk about it and I haven't even passed out the invites! It all began back in 2002 with about 5 or 6 girls and mostly store bought or "just add water" cookies! Not any more! Last year I had over 20 ladies and dozens and dozens of award winning HOMEMADE cookies! Each year I give a prize for Best Tasting & Most creative. After the winners are announced and awarded then the exchanging begins! WARNING!! Don't dare try to exchange if your cookies are not made from scratch! The is a very dangerous thing to do with a house full of women who have slaved all day over there cookies! Lol! I am looking forward to this years party and can't wait to taste all the scrumptious new cookies!

Here are some photos from previous years...

Back in 2005... Angela (Our party girl) just had her baby... but she still made it!

This was 2 or 3 years ago...

Over 20 of us at last years party!

Last years winners! Don't you just love the "Smart cookie t-shirt"

I really am Thankful...

I just got done writing a beautiful post about how I am soooo Thankful for everyone of my family members... I took the time to write about each and every one of them.. It was beautiful... Ask Oscar.. he was sitting right next to me before I accidently deleted it! Now I just want to go to sleep... but know that I really did have nice beautiful things to say... Anyway hope you all had a blessed Thanksgiving. I'm off to bed...

It's been way to long...

It's been way to long since I've blogged... It's not that I haven't had anything to blog about.... I've just had so much going on that I barely been able to comb my hair let alone blog! Ha! So what have I been up to??? Well where do I even begin??? September 7th Oscar and I got our keys to our new home! Yeah! (Just 2 miles east & we are officially out of the ghetto!) The next 3 weeks our weekends were spent at the new house dry-walling, sanding, painting etc.. (OK mostly Oscar!) Then it was packing and moving... then came the settling in and finding out all the quirks about our home. Like... The dishwasher smells like rotten eggs, the master closet has a scary creek in the floor etc, etc... So now comes the fun part.... DECORATING! I only wish my wallet were capable of handling all my fabulous ideas! Oh, and when I say "my ideas" please know I mean the ideas I'm stealing from"Bloggster Land"... them and restoration hardware!

So our community is having a Yard Sale this weekend and I am hoping to rake in the dough so I can get to work! I only have about 4 weeks until my annual cookie party! I hope my body is up for the challenge! (and Oscar too! he he!) Did I tell you how much I love that guy? So very much and he is well aware- which is just fine by me! OK any who here are some picts of some of the things I have been up to the past several weeks... Another Quincernera (Mardi Gras style)... a wedding & even a Guinea pig! He will be for sale at our Yard Sale tomorrow! No joke! Mataya blew her B-day money on this creature or as Mataya calls her... Ruby... and has decided she is not much fun... All work & no play!

Busy bee...

So I have been ridiculous busy this past month... I don't even no where to begin... Lets see... I threw Mataya a Luau for her 10th B-day, pretended to be a photographer and took maternity pict's, planned a surprise baby shower... Oh and did I mention Oscar and I were on a mission in search for a new house! Yes all that and more all in a 30 day time spanned!

So my friend Linda is having a baby and she asked me to take some pictures of her bump. I agreed but warned I was no professional... So we took photos in my back yard and I was actually pleasantly surprised on how well they came out. See for yourself...

Speaking of surprises... So I got some crazy idea to throw Linda a surprise shower... Yeah I know... Who throws a surprise baby shower?!? Friends tried talking me out of it but I was adamant that it had to be a surprise! So after a month of torturing my dear friend Linda and myself... The day finally arrived... Mind you, I had invited a good 30+ women and also took it upon myself to go into such details that involved baby blue bread and sandwiches in the shapes of crowns... To go with my "Prince" theme of course! So after everything was set up and ready to go and all the guests anxiously awaiting... There was just 1 minor problem... Linda was M.I.A... Yep nowhere to be found! After desperate attempts in trying to get Linda to answer her phone and almost having an anxiety attack she finally arrived! (This is the short version of what happened.)Mmmhhhmmm... I know... Craziness! So again anyone out there who gets an itch to throw a surprise shower.... DO NOT DO IT! Lol!

So lastly Oscar and I decided on a home and should be getting keys any day now... I will keep my millions of followers posted.... he he!

Mataya's 10th Birthday Luau

It seems like just yesterday my tiny 4lb miracle baby Mataya Love was born... Now she is a little lady and growing up way to fast... Taya you are my "love-bug"... Always so gentle, loving, kind and caring towards others... I love you soooo much! You will always be my 1st love! (Sorry Mia)

Mataya celebrated this past Saturday with a Luau and her and all her girlfriends had an absolute blast!!!

Prizes were given for best dressed! Lots of grass skirts & even a coconut bra!

The Pina-coladas were a big hit! After Mia dropped her 5th one she got cut off.

Mataya wished for a Nintendo DSI & with $120 in B-day cash she is almost there!

Special thanks to Uncle Brian & Tia Natalie for opening up there gorgeous home!

Back to school...

The girls started back to school a few weeks ago and so far things have been running smooth... The first day however was a little rough for my Mia. This came as a big surprise coming from "Independent Mia". When we arrived on the 1st day she insisted her tummy was sick and looked extremely nervous! Mataya on the other hand could not wait to get back to school! She is in a class with 3rd & 4th graders and has the same wonderful teacher as last year! She was also pleasantly surprised to be in a class with NO 4th grade boys! Not sure how that happened but Mataya is loving it! Since then Mia has made lots of new friends and loves her teacher! Here's some photos of their 1st day back...

Mia being a bit of a drama queen. She was also upset that her hair had a poof... because kids in her class don't like poofs??? Mataya acting as cool as can be...
They picked out their own outfits... Funny how they are so similar to each others... Mataya & Mrs. Woodall... Mataya thinks they're BFF's!

So what if her eyes are closed! It's the one pict I have of her smiling... even if it is a fake smile!

The last one in line... Still feeling a little uneasy...