Our life lately, in a nutshell!

Well, it is not like me to be gone for so long! Things have been CRAZY at the Castros, but it is welcomed, because that means it is going to slow down soon. These past couple of weeks have been filled with traveling and finals. I got to work in Dallas the past 2 weeks, and experience my first Rangers game, it was wonderful. I am definitely a ballpark girl, and I loved our view, $4 hot dog, and $8 beer. Lol, only in a ballpark would I pay those ridiculous prices, but it was so pretty! If we could combine Ranger's Stadium and Dell Diamond, that would be an amazing experience, and closer to home!

We also celebrated Mother's Day a week early, and the family took a trip to SA to watch Reba and George Straight! It was AWESOME, and I am so glad we got to experience it as a family. Life has been busy, but is was definitely special to get to slow down for the weekend, and celebrate and spoil my Mom....she's the greatest! Enjoy the pictures....

My Mom being SPOILED!

Our Austin Family.....

Who knew it would be so stressful from the Quary to the Alamodome, but FINALLY we made it!

The Castro's.....George Straight Concert 2010! Isn't my husband a doll?!

My sisters....Love these crazy girls!

J & C....

My super cool parents, LOVING Curt's cowboy hat!
REBA!

Our HOT cowboy!

So it goes without saying we had a great time being with the family, and enjoying the concert! It's just one of those "Bucket List" things and we did it, yeah! Other than this finals are this week, thank goodness and I've just been hanging out with Tay since she'll go home for the summer. While we were hanging out and having dinner one night, we found this....VOTE JOE, he's our cool uncle, lol, so of course we had to stop and take pictures!

Other than getting some vacations on our schedules, wrapping up school, and just enjoying our slow down, not much else is happening at the Castro's, thank goodness!

Till next time, C.

It just makes me smile!

Yes, that is right, I LOVE Hallmark! It's just one of those places I could spend hours in, and walk the store with a handleful of wonderful things, and leave with a bunch of completely different items. We are spending this weekend with my Mom, so I spent some of my day today out and about getting Mother's Day gifts for our Moms.

So because Hallmark makes me smile, I thought I'd share with you the top ten reasons I love Hallmark, lol, silly I know, but I do!

10. You walk in and get to enjoy the excitement of a new holiday season, from Valentine's to Christmas.

9. There isn't one thing in there I wouldn't put in my own home, or personally use.

8. I LOVE the Hallmark Channel, their (sometimes) cheesy movies, and I love their Sunday night Hallmark movies on TV and during Christmas time. Warms my heart!

7. I love their fun wrapping paper/bags/boxes and tissue! Presents are sweet, but I love the "presentation" because before you can open it, you have to sit patiently and wait, and just look at it, so why not make it BEAUTIFUL! (Oh this might make my list 11, but I love how pretty they make simple candy, so pretty it could be a stand alone gift).

6. I love Hallmark Purple!

5. I love that I am a Gold Level Crown Member, no lie, it's what my member card says, lol, and I love the Hallmark bonus bucks that surprise me in the mail!

4. I love just being bored, walking the aisles and reading cards just because....they make me laugh out loud, sometimes cry, but more importantly they make me remember and just be appreciative! I tend to be a mushy card person...but Tay is comedy all the way, so I particually like doing this with her, because I laugh too hard!

3. I love making people's day, and telling them how important and special they are to me.

2. I love turning over a card, and seeing the gold crown sticker.

1. I love an old fashion note hand written, just because....because then Hallmark will make you smile too!

And there you have it, why Hallmark makes me smile. Hope you enjoyed your beautiful Sunday.

He's the Boss, I'm just the Helper!

This weekend was part 2 of our big project we are doing for a friend. We started off our morning with breakfast at Bill Miller's, YUM, established our game plan, and then it was off to work....12 hours, NO JOKE!

(My ADD moment: I LOVE getting up super early on the weekends, it is such a peaceful time, and I love spending that time with my hubby, it makes me get excited that we get to grow old together, and one day, we will be that old couple sharing a senior citizen breakfast, and just enjoying a new day, just makes me smile!)

Alright, back to my story....so boss man had big plans for us today, tape/paint a bathroom, and design/stencil/tape and paint the polka dot accent wall!

Adolfo makes fun of me because he tells me, that a good painter never gets too much paint on him, and they keep a clean brush, lol, well I guess I'm not going to be quiting my day job anytime soon, lol.... all I did was carry the paint bucket and load the brush, and I was a mess!

Me, AKA Professional Helper....

Boss Man, in a zone, we breezed through those polka dots! (lol, He's wearing the same outfit 2 weekends in a row, I promise it was washed!)

My job was to design the wall, pick the color pattern, and tape the circles....this is no small job, and Adolfo was so encouraging the whole time....he acted like my coach and gave me pep talks the whole way through, Thanks Babe, lol....

Tada! Accent wall....it looks perfect with the bed, but it's not mine so I don't want to spoil it!

Not bad for our first polka dot room. I am so proud of my hubby, he worked so hard! I am not going to lie, my body is hurting all over...painting is definitely not for weenies, lol. I know I am going to hurt in the AM, but I am so glad we completed our list, and it looks great!

We decided to enjoy a relaxed dinner at Chili's. It was so great to sit, relax, watch some basketball, and just be still, lol. I told Adolfo I was so tired, I had no energy to talk, he laughed and said good! Lol, good thing I love him! As we got our aching boddies from the table, we walked out and enjoyed God's beautiful canvas....I know the picture is horrible, but look at those colors!

Adolfo is knocked out, and I am soon to follow. I had a great day learning from my husband, and being his little helper. Hope yall are enjoying every part of your weekend! C.

Why are weekends so SHORT?

This weekend we started our painting project for our friend and her husband's baby room. All I can say is I am so thankful for a hard working husband. Adolfo is so patient and doesn't stop, even as I sit here and type this! He started Friday, worked all day Saturday, took a break to spend some time with me, and at the moment he is there again to finish the accent wall. Then it is my time to step in and help with the design, I CAN'T wait! I love that this is something we can do together, and we feed of of each other's energy, Can't wait for the next time!

I got this picture to remember the before and after, Adolfo just looks so relaxed, at this moment he'd worked 12+hours.....I work that much, but I get tired, grumpy and am not the most pleasent person, lol, he laughed with me, was patient with me TALKING, quietly suggesting, lol, and taking pictures for our scrapbook.....

Done with the 1st coat!

Can I just share another thing I love about Adolfo? So while we were taking a break on Saturday, we went on a lunch date, and then he wanted us to go to Hobby Lobby = "The Polka Dots", while the paint dried.

He told me I was being a great "Helper", and because I had a great idea about the polka dots, which saved us TONS of time, I got a present for all my hard work, lol....yes, I am an adult and this still works on me, lol.

My new cleaning gloves, Aren't they cute. Don't they just make you want to clean the tub and wash dishes?

Rug update - I loved it and ours was so outdated, just a little bit of fresh air within budget!

It's been a rainy, but productive weekend. I think I was asleep by 10PM last night. Our Sunday is full of painting, Lakers, Spanish and getting ready for the week ahead. Why are weekends so short?

Just smiling....

Adolfo and I had such a fun weekend, doing alot of the little things we have had to put on hold during the school year, and busy season with my job. This weekend we decided to just do some of the things we've been wanting to do, relax and enjoy some good time together.

Friday night we had Adolfo's Mom, sister and niece and nephew over, and Adolfo put on a nice BBQ. After a long day of work and night class, I really appreciate the little things he does for me, like dinner, dishes, and putting together a nice family night.

For, oh about 2 year now, I've been wanting to visit Sweet Berry Farm, and bring home some fresh strawberries, Saturday we FINALLY got to do just that....

Adolfo was AMAZING at picking strawberries,

Me, well, not so much, lol....

It was so relaxing, and also made us realize all the hard work behind a nice bunch of fresh strawberries we walk in and pick up in the store....

We picked 5.44lbs, I was so proud of us! We treated ourselves to a nice fresh strawberry lemonade and homemade strawberry ice cream. This experience was definitely worth the 2 year wait, and it didn't disappoint me at all....I can't wait for us to do something like this again!

Saturday evening we enjoyed a nice BBQ at my cousin's house so that we could all meet and welcome our new baby cousin. They don't live in Texas, so we are so grateful they came to visit to share the joy of Baby M. We realized it's been 10 years since we've had a baby in the Barrientes family!!! That's FOREVER, in a family this size!

Baby M and her 1st cousin picture!

My cousin, his wife and their sweet bundle of joy! She is so sweet, and perfect. BEAUTIFUL blue eyes, Joseph's in TROUBLE!

Photo shoot of the sisters with Heather, fun times as always....

Heather and Chica.....enjoying the photo shoot!

Sisters....our colors were not planned but mixed so well, I really love this one!

I LOVE seeing Chica's pictures, I think she is so creative with the camera, so I just told her to play with mine, and this flower picture is one that she gave me..... I mean, my camera is nothing fancy, but I LOVE it and what she did with it!

My time with Baby M, I can't wait to see what life has in store for her!

Our weekend was so relaxed, spending time with our loved ones. Today it's been a little rainy outside, so we've stayed in, I had class, and Adolfo's enjoyed the Master's and been studying. Definitely laying low, which is welcomed. I got my grade back on my test last week, and I got an A, so I think he's treating me to the movie Date Night this evening! I'll let yall know what we think, and I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful weekend.

More to come on the movie, a new book that I am reading, and just new directions!

C.

LOVE THEM!

Everyone is in bed, and I should be too, BUT, I got everything done, and I started and finished my project tonight! I am SUPER excited about how it turned out, and I can not wait to have more free time! Enjoy my first attempt....

It started here....

And Tada!

Creatively, Castro

Multitasking, lol...

Yeah, that's what we could call it. Tonight there are an abundance of activities happening at the Castro's, as we prepare for Easter weekend! Tay and I decided to have dinner at Kerby Lanes, and Adolfo stayed home to rest, but we brought him back a Mexican Coke, so he was happy! I LOVE Mexican cokes, something about a Coke in a glass bottle just makes me smile!

We never received our census, and today was the deadline, and Tay so lovingly reminded me this morning, on a bright orange post it, lol, Rita JR. So don't worry we dropped it in the mail, and us 3 are present and counted for, we then discussed how the next time we take a census I will be 37 and Tay will be 30, ouch!

After dinner, it was homework and packing, and well....blogging, sewing a few simple projects and squeezing some more studying in there somewhere. Really though, my body and mind is already in vacation mode, lol! So in the midst of all the randomness our Thursday holds, I decided to have Tay show me what she learned at her new job at the Vineyard, lol....Here she is folks, lol.

Service with a Smile!

That is about it for us, dry cleaning was picked up, Adolfo will get a haircut manana, I will go to class and then it's HOME, it really has been a long time, so I am super excited! We have RCIA celebrations, birthday celebrations, breakfast and a little shopping at my favorite boutique, I've made a list and just nice family time. Haha, can you tell I am SUPER excited, OH and I get to see Heather and Gerald's house FINALLY! So hope everyone has a blessed Easter weekend, and I will see you on Sunday night!

Trying to get focused, lol, Ces.