Zoo Visit

On Saturday we had to get our mind off of the bad things and focus on the fun things in life!  So, we headed to - where else??? - THE ZOO!

He found the shade...ahhhh!

Wittle Sweet Baby Elephant

Love, LOVE this pic.  These animals amaze me.

Magnificent.

Black Bear taking a snooze.

The King and his partner snoozing too.

And Layla could have been on t.v. if she was nice to Mr. Smokey the Bear, but noooo....

she had to act like a stinker pot and grab on to my neck for dear life.  Maybe next time?

She was more interested in feeding the birds her pizza.

And walking along the promenade.

Best shot I got of her...

Wish they had a train pass.  We cannot go to the zoo without riding the train.

All Aboard!!  Choo-chooooo!!

Not here

I am having a hard time accepting the loss of my friend, and honestly, it is just hard to get back on track.  It is hard to focus on other things.  Like, my life.  Continuing the daily grind.  All of that is really hard for me right now.  I just want my friend back...

A monument in the Cemetery of Mary Magdalene in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

-Khalil Gibran

For my heart...

For my beloved friend, Evaristo "Juny" "June Bug" "Junito" Sierra...I miss you so much already.  Your legacy will continue to live on forever.

“We Little Knew”

We little knew that morning,

God was going to call your name.

In life we loved you dearly,

In death we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you,

You did not go alone.

For part of us went with you,

The day God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories,

Your love is still our guide.

And though we cannot see you,

You are always by our sides.

Our family chain is broken,

And nothing seems the same.

But as God calls us one by one,

The chain will link again.

-Author Unknown

"LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE"

We do not need a special day to bring you to our minds.

The days we do not think of you are very hard to find.

Each morning when we wake we know that you are gone.

And no one knows the heartache as we try to carry on.

Our hearts still ache with sadness, and secret tears still flow.

What it meant to lose you no one will ever know.

Our thoughts are always with you, your place no one can fill.

In life we loved you dearly; in death we love you still.

There will always be heartache and often a silent tear, but always, precious memories of the days when you were here.

If tears would make a staircase and heartaches make a lane, we'd walk the path to heaven and bring you home again.

We hold you close within our hearts; and there you will remain, to walk with us throughout our lives until we meet again.

-Author unknown

"I’m Free"


Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free
I’m following the path God has laid you see.
I took His hand when I heard Him call
I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at the close of day.


If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too will miss.


Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I savored much
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.


Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee
God wanted me now; He set me free.

-Author Unknown

Now my Juny

I received tragic news today that a dear childhood friend that I have known and kept in touch with for 20 years was brutally murdered today.  I am in shock.  I am sad.  And the tears are endless.  I miss him already.  And his girlfriend of many years whom I also grew up with and have known for 25 years - my heart breaks for her and the pain and unconceivable shock she must be going through.

A San Antonio woman makes a horrible discovery after entering her sister's house on the city's northeast side Thursday afternoon. She opens the door at a duplex on Maverick Bluff only to find her sister's boyfriend murdered. The 31-year-old man was laying on the ground with a bullet to the back of his head. Investigators say the man's girlfriend grew concerned when he was not answering his phone and asked her sister to check on him. Investigators found other signs of foul play inside the house. They say furniture was knocked over and there were other signs of struggle. Police say no one witnessed the crime. They did not find drugs in the house and don't suspect anything was taken. At this point, they have no description on the man's killer.


Posted by: Jessica Toumani

Myself and Richard are truly heartbroken and wondering what could be next?  This year has been trying to say the least.  With many deaths throughout both sides of our families.

We will miss you tremendously, June Bug, and will be sure to take care of Karen and keep your memory alive forever.  We will aways cherish and recall your infectious laugh and beaming smile.  You had the ability to lift up anyone's spirit with your always positive attitude and friendly hugs.  You just had a way.  A special way.  One that only comes around every once in a while.  We are so blessed Layla was able to know you.  And Sake.  And your gorgeous Karen.  She loved you all oh so much and we will be sure she always will know you for the one of a kind friend you are. 

Our hearts are aching over our loss, but especially that of your families.  They will remain in our prayers and thoughts in abundance!  May you Rest in peace in God's Glorious Mansion in Heaven.  Until we meet again...our precious soul we lost much too early.

To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.

-Thomas Campbell

a sickly week in review

In order to play catch up since I have been out sick...I am going to combine a few fun, and not-so-fun moments all-in-one post!  I am sure you won't mind! 

UPDATE:  I started to write this blog on the 16th, but a lot happened since then so, let me tell you about a few weekends ago...just keep that in mind when you are reading...
This past weekend we went to San Antonio for multiple reasons.  First and foremost, it was my nephew, Ethan's, 1st middle school football team scrimmage game!  And of course it was Grandparents Day too!  And I was able to meet Mr. Brayden for the 1st time and see a couple of my great friends!

Let's begin on Saturday morning...it was a drizzly, cloudy morning and the roadways were slick with oil and rain.  I was already driving cautiously because I do not have great faith in my tires as they have had too many near collision experiences.  Well, if you are familiar with the Loop 1604 and I-35 connection in San Antonio, you know how tight of a loop it is...

...long, scary story short.  I was driving.  About 30 mph.  Layla and Richard in the back seat.  When my wheel locks up on me.  My tires begin to slide off the roadway.  And then we begin to spin out.

Ya know.  It is true what they say.  Your life really does flash before your eyes.

Very bizarre.  Cannot explain it.  But, in those short few seconds, as our lives spun out of control, literally.  I thought about so much.  I thought that this couldn't be happening right now.  Not like this.

I have always had this really morbid thought about me passing away in a car accident.  I don't know why?  It started in college.  When I would endure a 4 and a half hour car rdie in one direction just to go back and forth from San Antonio to Nacogdoches.  That was on repeat mode for about 5 years!  That is when this morbid thought implanted itself in my mind.

But, I was terrified on Saturday when Layla and Richard were in the car with me!  I was thinking to myself, "NO!  This can't be it!  This isn't it!  They are with me.  Please, God, don't let this be it!"

And all I can remember hearing (and are still hearing) is the mud hitting the windows and car...

And my life flashed before my eyes!  I don't want that to happen again! 

Most importantly, we are all okay!  Thank our good Lord!  I had to gather myself.  And Layla said, "What happened?"  And I didn't have a good answer.  And when Layla saw the outside of our Camry, she said, "Mommy did that!?!?"  Yes I did.

On to Ethan's football game we went.  Not broken.  Not bruised.  But, shaken, for sure.  But, I deal well with shaken, not stirred, thank you very much! 

And for the record - I could have used a nice dirty, make that extra dirty, martini after that fiasco!

Ethan was so cute, and we were and still are so proud of him!  He is on 1st team offense.

He is # 82...can you spot the cutie?  And below is his cutie sister and my sweet niece, Paige.

Then myself and Layla headed to Alamo Cafe, yummy, to meet Mr. Brayden for the 1st time...here he is.  Such a sweet baby doll!

How excited does my baby girl look?

And we also were able to see Nicole and Mr. Wade too!  What a wonderful, but too short, visit!?!

I am so happy for my two friends here.  Nicole and Kristen are great friends to me and it is so nice to see them as mommys now too!  I just wish we lived in the same city...

And then we were off to visit Honey, which deserves her own post so tune in tomorrow...please.  Thank you!

Skip Hop to lunch

Do you recall when I talked about the Skip Hop Backpacks for back to school??  If not, check out the loot here! 

Well, here is another item to add to my Layla list, since I loathe her new lunch tote I just bought her.

Skip Hop just debuted their matching lunch totes at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas, according to Baby Chic 101 and I am uber excited about it!  How cute are they?  I am still in love with the little doggy...

And if their backpacks are only $20, I can only imagine how affordable their lunch totes will be.  Giddy.  Down right giddy.

It's a girl!!!

I just found out that my little sister will be having a little girl!!!  Due around February!!!  I know she will be decked out in something like the below get-up in no time at all...(no that is not anyone in my family, just a frilly outfit that I know my sis would adore.)

Congratulations Kim and Chris!  I know she will be gorgeous...

Happy (belated) birthday, Rich!

How sad is this??!!??!! 

I am posting a belated birthday wish to my man.  So, so sad.  Indeed.

His birthday was on Monday.  And we celebrated it flu-style, seeing as Layla was diagnosed with the flu on Monday morning!  Bless his and her heart!

I love you so much Richard and you make my world funny, loving and complete.  Thank you for many wonderful years...I look forward to many more.

The Swine Flu Attack!

It is true.  The flu has attacked my family.  Specifically, my 2 year old little one.  That is why I have been M.I.A. again.  This is what type A influenza, aka the Swine Flu, looks like on a 2 year old little girl being rushed to the doctor's office on Monday morning with a 103.4 temperature.

If you notice a cough on your little one, or even yourself, go to the doctor to get checked.  Be proactive.  Don't let the flu get the best of you!!!  And wash, wash, wash your hands people!!!!!  And don't freak out.

Rhonna Designs

I came across a blog and I adore her designs...so I will share some with you!

All images courtesy of Rhonna Designs

Cutie and Patootie

To find out where I located all of this fun and funky fashion, please visit my new blog, Black. White. And Red Curlz All Over.

Aquarium Visit

Again.  It was a couple of weeks ago and myself, Layla and KK went to visit the Aquarium.  We had an awesome time.  Let me let the pictures speak for themselves, once again.

Mommy and Layla at the White Tiger Exhibit

Close up of Layla - hamming it up for KK!

Below is Reef.  And he was in quite the mood due to an early morning vet visit.

He pounced on the glass wall twice trying to get at this man...thanks goodness it wasn't us he wanted!

Because when Reef stands up on his hind legs, he is over 11 feet tall!!!

Much taller than the fun version behind us...and Layla was still scared...

But, then KK started being funny and all was better!

But, she still wanted to get away from the BIG cat!

This is the train ride that takes you through an underwater tunnel.

Very cool.

Then we went inside to check out the other exhibits.

Too bad we couldn't take the treasure chest with us...

Can you spot the blue frog?

Touching the sting rays...

Look closely and you can see KK and Layla inside!

A special thank you to KK for a wonderful, memorable day at the Aquarium!!!  You are the best, KK and we love you bunches!