The Season of Lent

Lent for me is a time of penance and discipline. It is my time to clear my head, my heart, and evaluate my life. So yes, the next 40 days is a very important time of year for me to evaluate, reflect, simplify, and most importantly grow in my relationship with Christ!

With help from my fabulous little sister Tay, I've decided to give up Bread, Yep, BREAD! I understand that this might not be a big deal to some, but for me this is huge! I eat bread with everything, I LOVE bread. I'm one of those girls who will get the loaf of bread down, and have a slice, WHILE, I am deciding what to make for dinner, ha. At first, it was a joke, and then I realized this could be really hard for me, and this period isn't supposed to be easy, so there you have it, a true commitment.

I mean let me just reflect for a moment:
- Sandwiches
- Cinnamon toast, heck just toast
- biscuits, bagels, MUFFINS
- Olive Garden bread sticks
- Cheese toast w/ Spaghetti and ALL things Italian
- BROWNIES, cake, cupcakes, Banana nut bread......
-TORTILLAS!
- Pita's, BUNS (Hamburger & Hot dogs)

WOW, what am I forgetting? That is all I can think of at the moment, and this is going to be SO HARD!

I do know how blessed I am, and I do know I take so much for granted. Some days are hard, some days super busy. I know I don't take the time to stop and give God the time and attention He deserves. I've commitment an hour a night of quiet time, REAL quiet time, not just getting through my reading to check another thing off my list (I know HORRIBLE attitude), but to really be still, be in His word and listen. I've already begun this one, and this time is so precious to me, my time to be still and to listen. So with an open heart and open mind, I am excited to begin....

Bye, Bye Bread, C.

My life makes my heart HAPPY!

Among the craziness our life brings here at the Castro's, I love when we can just take a moment, or a weekend to just slow down, and be together. Yes, it was Valentine's Weekend, but we've always kept it low key and relaxing. Friday night I had my first Spanish test, and I felt HORRIBLE, after it! You know when you are sitting there and you go blank on something you've studied so hard for, and then as soon as you turn in the test, walk outside, it all clicks, well that was my experience, but I got my test back today, and I did way better than expected, so it made my heart happy!

~

Friday night, Adolfo, Tay and I went to a late night movie to see Valentine's Day, just what we needed to get into the spirit, it was cute for Valentine's. Saturday, Adolfo and I spent the day at the Ranch spending time with his Mom and Dad. It was so peaceful, I mean just sitting there in the peace and quiet, I loved it! We fed the cow and fixed a fence for his Dad, it was my first time to fix a fence, but I was really proud of what we did, and we helped his Dad alot, so that made my heart happy, and any quality time with my hubby makes me happy!

~

Today, was our Stay-at-home Valentine's Day! In blogs past I've already shared what we do on Valentine's Day, Pizza, Dessert and MOVIES!

~

Our sweet little treats....

The quickest way to my hubbies heart, it's special to us!

We LOVE cards, and PIZZA!

We don't do gifts, and well Adolfo cheated....He surprised me with 2 candles, one for our bed room, which I am truly enjoying at the moment while I type and one for the bathroom, I LOVE THEM, and I loved the sweet surprise!

And I can't forget to share how amazing my little sister is, she got me a treat too! Yes, I LOVE Sharpies, and I LOVE pens...well here they are together...This makes my heart happy! I already had the black ones, but in my line of work....the other colors are just as important, especially the RED! So, I am so excited to take these to work tomorrow and break them in!

I loved my Valentine's Day, sweet, simple, and relaxing....the way it's supposed to be. What can I say? My life makes my heart HAPPY!

So much Activity, So little time!

This past week was kind of a blur, and the weekend went by even faster. Among the business of work and school, Adolfo's father was rushed to the emergancy room early Friday morning. A couple of years back, Adolfo's father was diagnosed with Pancriatic Cancer. He is such a fighter, and still has such a strong spirit, but the cancer and treatments all begin to wear on your body. After many tests, on Saturday, we got all positive results from the stomach tests, and he was able to come home. Please keep Alex in your prayers, as well as the Castro Family, during these very challenging times.

He is such a sweetheart, and he hates everyone making a fuss over him. Once it's comfirmed he is ok, he always sends everyone home to rest...like I said, no matter what he is dealing with he is always thinking of everyone else.

After recieving positive test results, Adolfo and I headed home. Saturday night was Ladie's Game Night, and we had so much fun....

Eating, playing, laughing......

Sunday was full trying to catch up and rest. I had class, and it was homework, and a little shopping for Adolfo. We tried to re-negociate a new phone plan, but to get the best deal we just need to wait till June. That's ok I don't mind waiting.....

Sundays are now my offical Coupon Sundays....Boy, have I found some great deals...I LOVE going to the store, seeing our total, and then seeing it go down one coupon at a time!

I HATE making lunches for work, I'd much rather be social for a whole hour, but with busy season, sometimes we benefit from just working through lunch....

My Aunt Emma shared this trick with us awhile back and I am just getting around to try it. She takes a roll of french bread, makes on huge sandwich, and then cuts it and packages it for lunches....all the work is done, and you are ready to go for lunch....low cost, easy to make, and most important, I am not having to make lunches in the AM, add a piece of fruit, bag of chips and your done....

That's 2 lunches for Me, Adolfo and Tay....

Thanks, Aunt Emma!

Tonight Tay and I just got groceries for the week, and enjoyed a quick dinner....Here is Tay trying to get away with things she can't do at home....

No manners I tell you!

We are just embracing the current state of craziness, but we are happy, we are healthy, and we are surrounded by the ones we love....what more do we need!

Happy hump day!

On a quick lunch break so I thought I would clear my mind, and update my blog.

This week is action packed for the Castro's, or maybe I just feel that way because I have tons of things I want to get done this week. I updated my white board at work to keep me on task and focused. Classes are going great, I think the Castro casa is adjusting well. I've been feeling a tad bid under the weather last week, getting better, but I still feel at moments draggy, so I am keeping myself busy checking off to-do lists, or else I could waste my whole week. Adolfo is getting into the swing of things, he's taking on a load, but I know he can do it, he always does!

Let me share my successes and to-dos! (I know some don't care, but this is like free therapy sometimes to organize me and clear my mind, lol)

- Organized at work thanks to my white-board
- Dinner plans for the week done
- Bought groceries
- Deposited money at the bank
- Budgeted/reconciled
- Slowly getting through my homework (Wednesday night is homework night)
- PS Not so much a success - our Computer needs to go to the doctor, lol...

Pretty good for it only being hump day!

Weekend goals:
- Put up Christmas Decor (Haha, yes I still have it all up! But not for long)
- Do our taxes!
- Oil Change
- Sunday Coupon Day

That's manageable right?

Well now that I am clear minded, back to work. Ces.

Weekends go by too fast!

This weekend we headed to SA to see my two little cousins in their final cheer competition for this season!

Aren't they too cute....

I'd never been to a cheer competition, it was so fun, and these little girls blew my mind by their skills, never in my cheer career was I ever able to do half the things they did, lol!


Saturday night we headed to Albert, TX to watch our cousin's band, Hilltown. Cameron and Andrew played in our wedding, they were AMAZINGLY great, so you know I loved listening to their band....

Cousins...

It was fun catching up with old friends, back in a small town....you know no strangers, everyone is super friendly, lol, potluck and a nice evening back home......

More catching up.....

It really was a quick trip, Sunday, Tay and I came back early because I have class on Friday and Sunday....so Saturday is my only free day! Sunday, Adolfo and I just relaxed at home after class...it was so nice, he downloaded like every song of George Straight so we turned off the TV, turned up the music and spent the afternoon doing Calculus and cutting coupons until the Saints game! I LOVED my weekend, too bad it went too fast!

Refreshed, Ces.

Just call me Sneezy!

Awww! SOMETHING is in the air! Today a big group of us in the office ate lunch at PF Changs downtown, and as soon as I walked out after lunch, I could not stop sneezing to save my life!

I finished my day, came home, ran to the store to get groceries for the week and I still feel like a faucet, lol...don't worry I am medicated and hopefully it holds me through the night. Tonight I am grateful for my Tylenol Cold, Soft Kleenex's, my husband who did all the laundry and cleaned up the living room, Tay's help grocery shopping and my nice book on my nightstand calling my name any second now!

Tay's back with us safe and sound, her and Adolfo are back to classes tomorrow. For me, another busy work day, but I am going to make them a yummy first day back to school dinner, pork chops YUM!

Did my first big grocery shopping trip of the year, and with my first round of coupons I saved $10, I know, I know it isn't ALOT, but it is when it allowed me to get everything I wanted, and brought me UNDER-budget, so I'm a happy girl and it's only going up! Can't wait to talk great deals with my sweet friend JJ! If anyone knows a great place to find coupons let me know!

Oh yeah, and why does HEB always give you the good coupons AFTER you shop and pay? I'm just asking?

Just a day in the life.....

Lovely weekend! I am really enjoying how 2010 is treating us, it has been full of fun and pretty relaxing. This was our first week back to work, and it felt SOOO long, but I was kind of glad to get back into the swing of things. Friday night we had a work event, and we had a great time as usual. We work with a really great group of people, so any time we can all get together, and not work, lol, is always a good time! A&I ended our night by going dancing, we LOVE to dance, and we said hey, it's like Arobics, lol!

Saturday, we really did NOTHING, lol, boring I know to some, but I appreciate down time. We slept in and I made us a nice breakfast. Adolfo enjoyed some TV, and I caught up on some work at the kitchen table, lol, I love not having to go into the office to work!

We were up in the air about dancing the night before, because we had been waiting for the movie The Book of Eli to come out....but it was sold out, so dancing it was. We decided we would try again on Saturday night, so we did. We enjoyed a nice dinner and movie date with one of A's friend's from work and his wife, they are always a great time!

Playing around before we went out, FINALLY got to wear my fun purple necklace my GMA gave me!

Sunday was all about the Cowboys, we spend the day at the Ranch with Adolfo's parents and we had a nice time. They always feed us too much, and it never fails, I get cozy on the couch and take a power nap....but it gave A time to play on the ranch and shoot his guns, so it was a happy day, lol. While A and his Dad played outside, me and my MIL played inside, she never wants me to do anything, she just feeds me and lets me watch, lol....And we wonder why I am not the greatest in the kitchen, lol, the ladies in my life must let me grow, LOL! Our lady events included watching TV with her while she cross stitched and me reading the paper cutting coupons (My new Adventure, but that's another post, lol)! Adolfo's nephew, sister and her kids came out, so it wound up to be a nice time, Cowboys, family and movie night.....really how did we get so lucky?

Our weekend was great, and I am ready for the week ahead of us! Yes work will be CRAZY, Tay's back, classes start up again.....oh, you know just another day in the life of the Castros....Hope you all have a wonderful week!