Weekend Celebrations Part 1....

No amount of rain on Friday was going to keep us from celebrating Tay's 20th Birthday! What began as a small family dinner quickly turned into a large party to celebrate our little sister at my Grandma and Grandpa's Mexican Restaurant....Let the festivities begin!

Tay and the Hostess, My Grandma...

The Family, We never do anything small, ha...

Friends...

The Castros celebrating Tay!

Claudia and Jaime celebrating Tay...

There was cake...

and presents...

Presents...

AND MORE PRESENTS....


Sisters at Tay's 2oth Birthday celebration!

It was such a beautiful way to begin our Anniversary and Labor Day weekend celebration! Tay sort of got overlooked last year with all the wedding festivities, so we were so glad she got her day. I am so grateful our family came together to celebrate what a beautiful young women our little sister has turned into, Brains, beauty and pure loving heart!

Happy Birthday Tay, Love A&C.

Shopping from JC, ha...

So much time on our hands, I decided to do some shopping from the couch! We always get one for the season to support Jughead....

His...

Hers....


Can't wait, they will be ours in 3 days~ A&C.

Sweet surprises!

This Friday I received a pleasant surprise! Adolfo doesn't normally call me during the day because he knows that I am working, but if it is important he will just text me. So I received a call about how early I was coming home, cause we needed to pack and head out for Tay's Birthday dinner, nothing out of the ordinary.

Little did I know, Adolfo had planned a surprise for me....I got a call from the front desk, and my friend asked me if Adolfo was in the "dog house", lol, I said no why and she said well come up here...

When I got to the front, look what I saw, 3 Dozen beautiful red and yellow roses! They match my color pallet in my office...

I was completely surprised, and knew now exactly why he had been calling, haha, sneaky. Our Anniversary isn't until Sunday, but you know how we are about never celebrating big events on the actual day. I think it is just because we get so excited, we can't wait, we are worse than little kids sometimes, ha.

With all the festivities we have to share this weekend I thought I share my flowers early!

Happy Game Day, Hook 'em Horns! The Castros....

Simple.

Not much happening here at the Castros...I had to go into Houston today for an inventory observation, and then I came home, it was a LONG day, so I am just resting. Adolfo tried out a new trail by our house, near one of his favorite fishing spots, and ran 6 miles! Ouch, that is definitely going to hurt manana! It motivated me to continue on my mission to a better lifestyle and healthier me, so I went and enjoyed a 3 mile walk/run, yes it killed me, but it felt so good. Weird I know, but I always feel so much better after I get out of the house and just do it!

It was so beautiful this morning, below 70 degrees, LOVE IT! I am and will forever be a Fall child. I love the colors, hints our wedding, lol, I love blankets and sweaters, and I love coats/scarfs, ha, you get the picture I LOVE FALL! So when I stepped out this evening, there was a sweet breeze, and I just took off running, ha....I saw a couple of deer, and the sunset was AMAZING! Let's see how I feel tomorrow....Thanks babe for motivating me!

Adolfo made Tay and I spagetti for dinner, YUM! and we all just caught up on our day. Adolfo watched a little, well alot of football, and Tay and I watched the CMA Country Fest on TV, I love country music, it never gets old to me! The Judds performed and it took me way back....back to the summer days when me, claudia, caroline, and kendra used to jam out to our cassett, we knew every song, and we performed, oh the days, haha...

Now it is just a little blogging and some quiet time for me. Adolfo, Pat, and Bebes hooked up their XBox 360s, that thing amazes me....we are so far apart and it is like all the boys are in our living room, ahh I miss them! So thanks for entertaining my husband for me, at 11pM, lol... We also have a wii, well Tay does, so if anyone would like to take on the Castro household one night, Bring it On, we are a competative bunch, I am not going to lie, ha, but it would be a good time!

Today I am thankful for my workout time, it was so peaceful and inspiring, no music, just enjoying God's beautiful work around me, for that I am thankful!

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:12

Sweet dreams and much love, C.

PS. Let the countdown begin, 5 days until our 1 year Anniversary, I am SOOOO EXCITED!

Blessed Weekend!

This past weekend Tay and I headed back home to meet up with my Mom and spend Saturday taking care of our sister! Nothing helps you recover faster than a day doing NOTHING with your Mom and sisters.

Tay making our dinner arrangements on the way to JC, Hungry girls...

I wanted to finish my apron so badly, and I knew my Grandma M would be the perfect teacher to help me wrap it up...So Friday after dinner we went to Grandma's and visited with her and Darnell....

Grandma helping me with the bow....tricky!

Lesson #1: Don't use pins instead do a quick stitch by hand to hold the fabric together, run it through the machine with the stitch as your guide, then remove when you are done!

Hers...and mine, new generations....

Finished! Thank you Grandma....she truly has a gift in what she does! I am so grateful I get the time to just visit and be with her in her element, and learn all her little tricks of the trade. I am so grateful for our time we got to spend just chatting and sewing at the kitchen table, I love you Grandma! (The Front)


The back, I LOVE bows...

Wrapped and ready to go home to Austin!


Saturday, we spent the day spoiling and taking care of our sister! She is taking it easy and her recovery is going well, but we just know seeing us is going to make it go by so much quicker, lol. I am so grateful for her and her amazing doctors and nurses. They took such great care of her, and for that I am grateful....

If you know my family, you know we love the Kennedy Family, so we woke up early Saturday morning and spent the day taking care of Claudia and celebrating the life of Ted Kennedy. We watched it from start to finish on CNN. What a beautiful tribute to a man who truly was a servant for the people, and used his authority and every ounce of his gifts to be the voice for those who couldn't be heard. What a great message his life leaves us, NEVER GIVE UP and with great reward comes great responsibility, Thank you Teddy!

My Mom spoiled us with an oldie but goodie breakfast, YUM! We spent the day, snacking, coloring, crying, and just enjoying Claudia and CNN....You're NEVER too old to color....so Tay and I colored for Claudia, lol, thought I'd share....

One picture I colored....She loves Kittens...

Tay's color by numbers, lol, great job little sister...

My other picture for Claudia, I asked her to pick her 2 favorite colors and I would surprise her, lol, Red and Purple...and here was her surprise....

Sorry if you don't like the picture Chona, but I love you and I think you look great! All her nurses, told her she was such a natural beauty, and I agree.....she is my model, sharing my apron with her, lol.....

I am so grateful she is safe, and I hate I couldn't spend more time with her in SA!

Sunday, my parent's led a Parish appreciation breakfast for our Church in JC...it was so good catching up with everyone I grew up with, and am so proud and thankful for my parents. They are such great examples to me and my sisters, they truly live out our lesson today. Being a Christian is not just about showing up to church on Sunday, or volunteering and being seen at all the events. It is about the way you choose to live, and treat others, the silent leaders that truly show the pureness and sincerity of their hearts. I am so proud of my parents, and I hope we are able to be half the parent's they have been to us!

After church we were so tired. Curt and our Uncle Charlie prepared for dove season, Adolfo is super excited to get out there next weekend! So they started preparing this weekend....We had a date with Chica, we just caught up and watched a movie in her room and ate ice cream....I fell asleep go figure.....

Here is Chica pretending she is on her first date (to DQ with Adam Sandler, ha!).....

I am so thankful for the quality time I got to spend with my family, wish I could have seen GMA J and Grandpa this weekend too! But they got to spend a nice evening catching up with Claudia & Jaime, so I guess we can share, lol...You can't put a price on the gift of time, you never get it back or a second chance to re-live it, so don't take it for granted!

Adolfo spent the weekend in Austin, getting ahead in his classes, relaxing, and getting ready for dove season. Now, I am just sitting here enjoying my night with my husband, I missed him! We hope you enjoy your week, we will!

Joyful, The Castros.

Grateful tomorrow is FRIDAY!

What a week it has been. Claudia's surgery went well, and she is home recovering, LOTS of texting going on between the sisters these days! Tay has the best phone, and we definitely need an upgrade, but Tay used Claudia's rebate, we won't bring that up, lol...

Tay is officially living with us. I made cute little welcome back to school notes for her and Adolfo, just a little encouragement and motivation to start the semester off right. Adolfo is taking a conditioning and Pre-Cal class this semester, and I am taking Financial Statement Analysis. It is definitely going to be challenging, but very interesting at the same time. I have already met so many nice people in my class, so that helps. Adolfo is excited to finally be taking Pre-Cal, what can I say he LOVES math, and I love that he loves math, one of the million reasons I am so attracted to him!

This week has seemed so long, and I don't even know why! Last night I convinced Tay to go workout at the gym with me, and when we walked into the gym, the trainer came up to us and asked if we wanted to join his class for the evening for free, and "I" said yes, lol, you should have seen Tay's reaction, lol! So we thought a lite aerobic exercise wouldn't kill us, lol. There was nothing lite about it. We are dying today! My body aches so bad, but it felt great! So I have had 2 major workouts so far this week, so I need one more hard workout this week! I slept the best I have slept in a long time, I think I just missed the activity. I need to keep it up, baby steps!

Today I got home in enough time to see the last quarter of ACU on FSN, Yeah for the Wildcats, it felt so weird here Abilene Christian in the background, but I loved seeing the purple! Great game Wildcats 14 to 16, we almost lost!!! Well that is it for me, we are pretty worn out adjusting to our new week at the Castros.

It will take a little adjusting to all of our new schedules, but it will get better! This weekend we are going to spend the day in SA with Claudia, and I am going to have a sewing lesson night with my GMA, she is going to help me finish my apron, YEAH! Then bunches of reading!!!!!!

Well this was completely random, but I had a lot in my head that I have now shared with you, thanks for reading......today I am grateful for the weekend, because we all need a little rest!

Completely Random, Ces.

The Power of Prayer is amazing...

This one will be sweet and simple. My sister Claudia is having thyroid surgery at 9AM tomorrow morning. She is my little sister, but she teaches me so much. Her strength and maturity are 2 of her million little things I admire and love about her. I just ask all my sweet friends to please keep her and her wonderful Doctors and Nurses in your prayers, as well as for a safe recovery.

We love you Chona! A & C.