Spring's bringing Good Things

In my down time (Ha!! Ha!! Ha!! Ha!! Ha!!) I love to browse other people’s blogs and see what they’re talking about. I found some new favorite shoes that way and lots of great household tips. There are a handful of things right now that I am loving like crazy and that make some of my not so great days better. Maybe you need some new inspiration or lip gloss right now, too.  Spring has sprung after all.


Channel 809 on Direct TV. The channel is called Country Hits Radio. I’ve been getting all sorts of work around the house done listening to my favorites – George Strait, Merle Haggard . . . ahhhh. I love me some classic country!

Golden Spoon Tart Mango and Graham Cracker frozen yogurts swirled together. YUM!

OPI nail polish in panda-monium pink. it's a sweet spring color and makes me super ready for sundresses and sandals.

C.O. Bigelow mentha lip tint
They sell this at Bath & Body Works and when they have their really big sales (the one with the yellow and red bags and the rubber duckies) you can get it for less than $2. It's a sheer, not sticky gloss that tastes and smells like mint. LOVE.IT.LOTS.

The color yellow.  I want everything to be yellow right now.  If I had an extra $100 I'd buy a lightweight spring cardigan or this darling scarf from Pleated Poppy.  It's called sunshine yellow.  What's not to love?

Or if I couldn't find just what I wanted OR had even another $100 I'd buy some cool yellow pillows to lighten up the family room. 

DecoCandles in sweet mango

This is the signature fragrance from the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne.  They have these candles all over the hotel and they smell sooooooo good.  And, of course, they're yellow.

All of these great, newish to me, websites are making my days better AND more productive.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
Tracks calories, carbs, sugar and whatever else you’re into. Swimsuit season is looming and I am keeping this open on my computer and my iPad all the time right now to help keep me stay on track.

http://www.tipjunkie.com/
I am not a crafter, am not particularly creative or the owner of patience and fine motor skills. Sites like Laurie’s are perfect for me! She has cataloged great recipes, free printable downloads for Springtime entertaining, décor tutorials – you name it.

http://www.starfishblog.com/
Amber over at Starfish has shared some easy tips recently for making life just a little simpler. I really like Amber for a whole bunch of reasons.

She lives in Coastal San Diego where my heart will always be. AND her house is flippin’ adorable. I just die when she posts and shares pix from her house. I even love her throw pillows for goodness sakes. Oh, and she's a jewelry designer and made a darling necklace when my sweet new niece was born as a gift for her Mama.

Her recent tips for setting a 15 minute timer and quick bathroom clean ups are just icing on the cake for me. In fifteen minutes I can rinse and load the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher, make the bed and empty the bathroom trash cans. How's that for productive?!?!  LOVE IT!

Life just seems so short these days and since I my sugar intake is limited right now I'll take happy anyway I can get it  ;)  ENJOY

xoxo, Mrs. Montoya

The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.
                                                                                                                               ~Bern Williams

Friday Confessional

I Confess . . .

I want it to be summer. Hot, sunny, spend all day at the beach summer.

I am grateful that we haven't had an earthquake or a tsunami. I feel blessed.

And I admit I am shallow.

I really, really, really want it to be summer.

I Confess . . .

I am tracking my carb and sugar intake.

Admitting how much sugar I eat is shocking.

Cutting back on how much sugar I eat sucks.

I would eat a hot fudge sundae for every meal if I could.

I Confess . . .

Motherhood is stressing me out lately.

It feels like everything I have done since I threw away my last diaper has been a failure.

I fret that I am not doing it right. Ever.

It invades my every thought, my every waking moment and every project.

I wish there was a book and a right answer, but I know there's not.

I Confess . . .

A few people have made the mistake lately of whining about how busy they are.

I'm afraid I don't respond well to cry babies.

I've got absolutely no sympathy for anyone complaining about busy.

You can complain to me any week that you work at least 40 hours, drive 60 miles each day in traffic, have one or more difficult conversations with an educator, counselor, coach or troop leader, attend two sporting events, address no less than 20 cotillion invitations in your most beautiful handwriting, get all your laundry done, and pack two picky brat lunchboxes at least three times.

Suck it up.

I Confess . . .

I need a vacation.

If you've got a secret to spill you can link with Mamarazzi, too. 

Pour Your Heart Out: Wacky or Worried??

Adult Male: "What's your name?"

The Princess: "Bob"

Adult Male {smiling}: "Nice to meet you Bob.  Do I know your parents?"

The Princess {deadpan}: "I don't have parents.  I am an orphan."

Adult Male {smiling wider}: "Oh really now?  Well who brought you to the party?"

The Princess {deadpan}: "I was in the neighborhood.  I came for the food."

Is she funny?  Mostly she is REALLY funny.  She can be unbelievably dry and alternately wild and hilarious. 

But sometimes I worry that she uses humor to cover up insecurity.  And sometimes she's not funny at all.  She can be mean.  And intentionally hurtful.  And I worry that she's hurting and doesn't know how to ask for help.  She's only 6.

Concerned Adult:  "She is really developing an odd sense of humor lately."

Me {feigning ignorance}:  "Oh, really?"

Concerned Adult: "Someone asked her today where The Athlete was and she said he was dead."

Me: "Oh.  Oh.  Really?  Oh.  Really?"

I don't exactly know what the appropriate response is to that but I am starting to worry about my girl.  A lot.

Butterflies and rainbows.  Frilly dresses with matching hair ribbons.  Patent leather mary janes with ruffled ankle socks and a bonnet on Easter.

My idealized vision of a little girl is NOT what my daughter is and I am mostly OK with that. I want her to be bold and confident and witty. But not creepy. Not alarmingly morbid.  Not someone who I have to worry about where (or who) she's going to turn to for attention when she feels like she's not getting enough from us.

I lay awake at night wondering if I should let it go and just keep doing what I'm doing.  Is she just feeling out her place in the world and she'll be the next Tina Fey?  Or is she hurt and I am failing her horribly and all she knows how to do is cover it up with words and wit?  Maybe I should be wrapping her up with all the love I can stand and begging her to share her darkest secrets with me.

If I had the answer I would pursue it whole heartedly and wouldn't need to Pour My Heart Out on my blog.  But I don't.