~ Linette ~

Scour Power

2007-01-24T13:54:00.000-05:00

~ Quick Cleaning Tips ~
1. Protect your skin by wearing rubber gloves when working with bleach. Treat yourself to a hand treatment while you clean by slathering your hands with Vaseline® and slipping on a pair of white cotton gloves, then the rubber gloves. Your hands and your shower will look amazing!

2. If you’re sensitive to chlorine bleach, use an oxygen bleach like OxiClean® instead. It may take a bit longer than chlorine bleach, but it’ll remove the stains. When cleaning with any bleach, open the door and windows to keep the air circulating and be careful not to breathe the fumes.

3. Keep tiles shiny by rubbing them with a good quality car wax after cleaning. It will prevent soap and water buildup, and the water will bead up and dry right off.
The best way to prevent mildew is to clean the shower every week. Use a squeegee to wipe down tiles after showering. Leave the shower curtain open and crack a window, if possible, so tiles can dry quickly. The faster tiles dry, the less chance mold and mildew has to grow.

To make cleaning fun, put on an upbeat CD and pretend you’re doing aerobics as you stretch and bend. Reward yourself by skipping your workout that day — you deserve it!
To keep your bathroom smelling fresh, keep a rosemary plant on the windowsill. The steam from the shower will release the herb’s relaxing fragrance.

Credits to: Home and Garden

Chocolate-Dipped Heart Cookies

2007-01-24T12:43:00.000-05:00

Chocolate-Dipped Heart Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hr ; Start to Finish: 1 hr
Makes: 2 dozen cookies
Say "I love you" on Valentine's Day or anytime with a simple Create 'n Bake™ cookie dipped in luscious chocolate.

Ingredients:

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create ' n Bake™ refrigerated sugar cookies
1/4
to 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2
cups semisweet chocolate chips
1
tablespoon shortening
Colored sugar

Directions: 1 . Heat oven to 350°F. Remove half of cookie dough from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the flour onto work surface; coat sides of half of dough with flour. With rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.
2 . With floured 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts. Gently brush excess flour from hearts; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
3 . Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4 . In 1-quart saucepan, heat chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off; place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar.
How sweet ~

Spring/Summer 2007 Fashion Forecast

2007-01-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

This Fashion Forecast provides an overview of future trends and developments in the fields of style, color and fabric for the Spring - Summer season 2007. The forecast also includes design suggestions!!!!!! Credits to CBI- www.cbi.nl

REFINEMENT It’s a refined city theme, inspired by work and city life. Our daily jobs require sincerity, mirrored in simple combinations in our dress behaviour,but the latter must also answer to our needs for the materials used to ensure constant elegance and a chic-sensual, feminine look.Straight lines, non-crease, thin and – above all – uncomplicated: these are -fit them into your hand- baggage qualities.

PURITY Far away from all those everyday responsibilities and duties, this is an extremely summer theme, escaping to liberty, care-free days, innocence and sensuality. It’s pure in all its forms and, therefore, simple-casual but also extremely refined. Fabrics, form and colour play a leading role here..

AUTHENTICA muted classic/historical theme, as though in answer to the exuberant folklore theme for winter 2006/7. Historical influences from a whole world of rich, costume heritage translated into modern-day materials. Some of them have a vintage look about them, but they can also be fresh and crisp, with special attention to handwork. The basis is mainly original, classic garments like kimonos, caftans, officers’ jackets.

ENERGY This theme returns to the need for essential basics. Modern developments go hand in hand with retro classics, but it’s always comfortable. Inspiration comes from active sportswear, but also from classic basics. Unassuming, clean and simple and – particularly – playful, with attention to technical design details and made with great concentration..

Frosted Reindeer Cookies

2006-12-13T14:34:00.000-05:00

Prep Time: 40 min ; Start to Finish: 55 min
Makes: 32 cookies

Ingredients:
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake™ refrigerated sugar cookies
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup vanilla ready-to-spread frosting
64 small pretzel twists
64 semisweet chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup)
16 gumdrops, cut in half

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough; work flour into dough until well blended. Shape roll of cookie dough into triangle-shaped log. (If dough is too soft to cut, place in freezer 30 minutes.)
2 . With thin sharp knife, cut dough into 32 (1/4-inch-thick) triangular slices; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3 . Bake 7 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
4 . Frost cookies with frosting. Place 2 pretzel twists on each triangle near corners for antlers. Lightly press 2 chocolate chips into each cookie for eyes and 1 halved gumdrop for nose. Store between sheets of waxed paper in tightly covered container.

Can't wait to make these !!!!
~Merry Christmas~

Crescent Mummy Dogs

2006-10-30T11:48:00.000-05:00

Prep Time: 30 min ; Start to Finish: 50 min
Makes: 12 sandwiches

Ingredients
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (8 count)
2 1/2 slices (2.5 oz) American cheese slices, quartered
10 large hot dogs
Cooking spray
Mustard or ketchup, if desired

1 . Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough; separate at perforations creating 4 rectangles; press perforations to seal. With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half).
2 . Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like "bandages," stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate "bandages" so hot dog shows through for "face." On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray.
3 . Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on "face."

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 15 to 19 minutes.

Enjoy !!

Rachel Ray's New Show !

2006-09-22T11:52:00.000-04:00

Rachel Ray has a new show @ 3PM on channel WFOR 4 Miami-Ft. Lauderdale.
Her studio is amazing and if you can't catch the shows (for people that work) check out her site and you can see live clips of the shows!

Yum-O !!!

The Most Important Meal of the Day

2006-03-29T09:26:00.000-05:00

I found this great article from Harvard Health Publications on the importance of eating breakfast and how it can improve your health.

Many people assume that skipping meals will help them lose weight. It’s not true, particularly if the missed meal is breakfast. For example, a study of 16,452 American adults found that breakfast eaters were leaner than breakfast skippers — and people who ate cereal for breakfast were leaner than those who ate meat or eggs. A study of 2,831 young adults agreed, finding that people who ate breakfast regularly were only half as likely to be obese as those who usually skipped it. And a smaller Massachusetts study reported that skipping breakfast was associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of obesity. Not surprisingly, eating breakfast at home was more beneficial than eating out.

Cereal: The heart of the matter
Cereal is the key to a healthful breakfast, but only if you choose the right one. Unfortunately, most cereals are made from refined grains and many are laced with extra sugar. Despite this, many cereals tout their health benefits. Don’t be misled by bold print that boasts about vitamins, minerals, or even whole grains. You should focus on two criteria: fiber content and personal preference. Look for a cereal that provides at least 6 grams of fiber per portion; 10–12 grams would be even better, but you’ll still need lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds later in the day to meet your target of 25–30 grams.

Beverages:
You need milk on your cereal, and a glass of low- or nonfat milk is also fine for breakfast. Citrus fruits and juices will add vitamin C and other nutrients. Men who take certain medications, including some cholesterol-lowering statins and various antihypertensives, should choose orange juice rather than grapefruit juice, which can boost the blood levels of some drugs. Coffee or tea? Your preference rules. Caffeinated beverages are perfectly okay unless you experience unpleasant side effects such as heartburn, palpitations, or headaches.

Other grains:
Bread and toast are American breakfast traditions. If you like them, choose whole wheat or pumpernickel bread, which have a low glycemic index. Bran muffins are tricky; some are high in fat, and most provide only a few grams of fiber. Bagels are low in fat (unless you cover them with cream cheese) but very low in fiber. All in all, there’s nothing wrong with any of these baked goods — unless they displace your breakfast cereal.

Fruits:
The best diets include at least two to four portions of fruit a day. Breakfast presents a great opportunity to take the first step toward that goal. Pick the fruits you like best; there are no bad choices.

Not recommended:
There is room for debate about eggs but little debate about some of the other foods Americans eat for breakfast. Doughnuts, croissants, waffles, and fried potatoes have too much fat. Processed meats, including bacon, ham, and sausage, have too much fat and salt. And the McBreakfasts at your nearby fast-food drive-in have too much of everything (except, of course, fiber).

Freddy and I personally LOVE eating and making breakfast!
What's your favorite meal of the day ?

Switchfoot Live In Concert !

2006-03-08T14:34:00.000-05:00

With special guest: Athlete
(Doors open at 7pm)

Thursday, March 30th @ 8pm
Details:
FAU Boca Raton Auditorium

Tickets on sale now!

FAU Students: $7 / $10 day of show
General Public: $12 (parking fee will apply) / $15 day of show
Call the FAU Boca University Center Box Office at: 954-462-0222 or 800-564-9539
Buy Tickets Online:

TicketMaster
FAUevents

SwitchFoot Website

Live a Holy Life

2006-03-03T08:34:00.000-05:00

I was reading a little devotion this morning and it really grasped my heart. Not only that, but I know some people that are dealing with the fact of instead of "speaking" the word their "living actions" take a big part of their beliefs and holy life. Read this devotion from Max Lucado- Grace for the Moment

Matthew 5:16
You should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.

You want to make a difference in your world? Live a holy life:
* Be faithful to your spouse.
* Be the one at the office who refuses to cheat or gossip.
* Be the neighbor who acts neighborly.
* Be the employee who does the work and doesn't complain.
* Pay your bills
* Do your part and enjoy life
* Don't speak one message and live another.
* People are watching the way we ACT more tham they are listening to what we SAY.

I guess the saying is true .... ACTIONS speak louder than WORDS.

Alyssa's Ring Ceremony

2006-02-24T13:19:00.000-05:00

My little sister all grown up! I wish I could have been there.... I was not able to attend her ring ceremony, but Freddy was kind enough to support my little sis at the ring ceremony and take lots of pictures !!
Click on our flicker photos to see pics
Enjoy !

It's Not Always About the "Bling-Bling"

2006-02-21T15:32:00.000-05:00

Key Verse:Jeremiah 31:3, "… I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (NIV)

Devotion:
My husband proposed on Valentine's Day. We dined at an exquisite French restaurant. A gorgeous bouquet of red roses welcomed me to the quiet secluded table. We ate scrumptious seafood and steak. I anticipated the next romantic sequence in our evening out. After we ordered our coffee, the waiter brought out a tiny delectable cake. A sparkling one-carat diamond ring was perched in the center of the cake atop a red-frosted heart.

I bubbled with enthusiastic words of love and devotion, "I accept. Oh, I love you! This diamond is gorgeous!"

Without hesitation or a look of embarrassment, my new fiancé said, "It's not a real diamond. It is a zirconium."

Stunned I thought, Oh, I get it. He didn't want to put the real one in the cake.

Wrong! This was my engagement ring. It was beautiful, but not real.

My husband and I often laugh at this story. (After five years of marriage, I did get the real thing.) You see, whether the bling-bling was real or not didn't matter. What did matter was whether his love for me was authentic. His love has stood the test of time through some very difficult moments.

We entered into this marriage as a blended family. Both my husband and I brought children into our new home. He has loved my children as his own. His loving-kindness wove us into a strong family. Without his authentic love, we could not have survived the long stretches of stress it took to adjust as a stepfamily. A big beautiful bling-bling could not have bound us together. However, his profound commitment pulled us through the tough times.

It is the same with God's love for us. He loves us with an everlasting love. His loving-kindness draws us into an eternal love relationship. God's love for us is eternal; nothing can alter it.

However, to find complete contentment we must love Him too. He longs for us to seek Him instead of the material possessions this world has to offer us. Jesus warned us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:34, NIV) God wants to be the treasure of our hearts.

Three of my favorite verses illustrate how easy it is to allow God to become the love of your life.

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. (Psalm 27:4, NIV)

When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. (Psalm 27:8, KJV)

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:13, NIV)

He doesn't hide from us!

Many times in our lives we seek the "bling-bling stuff". God in His infinite wisdom knows what we need the most-His love. His authentic love endures the good times and the bad times. He desires for us to seek His love. He will be found, just as surely as I found the zirconium atop the cake.

When we seek Him, He rejoices over us as a groom does over his bride. "As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. (Isaiah 62:5, NIV)

So start looking for the treasure of Jesus' love. It will be found and it will be the real thing. And He will rejoice over you-His bride!

Application Steps:
Look through your jewelry box. Look closely at each piece. Do you have "bling-bling" that at one time you thought you couldn't live without? How do you feel about it today? Take one piece of your jewelry, whether costume or the real thing, and wear it to remind you to seek Jesus today.

This devotion was published by Proverbs 31 Ministries.

"A Good Thing" Soothing Tea

2006-02-21T15:20:00.000-05:00

Here is an easy and refreshing recipe for tea from
Martha Stewart Living
Prepare soothing tea: Combine 4 cups of water, 2 ounces of thinly sliced ginger, 5 whole cloves, and the juice of 1 lemon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes; strain, and serve with honey or sugar.

Enjoy ~

S.H.E. Event - SafeHealthyEmpowered*

2006-02-14T13:46:00.000-05:00

A special event for mothers, daughters and friends !
Women's Connection is pleased to host Rebecca St. James and the SHE Event on Sunday, May 7th at 7:00pm at First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale.

Click here for more info

Sugar Cookie-Chocolate Crunch Fudge

2006-02-13T13:43:00.000-05:00

Here is a fun and sweet treat for your loved one!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 roll (18 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies, cut into small chunks
2 bags (12 oz each) Hershey®'s semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 teaspoons vanilla
6 Nature Valley® pecan crunch crunchy granola bars (3 pouches from 8.9-oz box), coarsely crushed (heaping 1 cup)*
Fresh mint sprigs, if desired

Pilsbury Recipes

On Valentine's Day: Consider the True Definition of Love

2006-02-13T13:32:00.000-05:00

Valentines day article from Crosswalk.com
As everyone is busy buying candy, flowers, and gifts for Valentine's Day, it's sad to note how most of our society does not understand the true definition of love. Sadder still is the fact that most “love” relationships have discarded God's call for commitment through marriage. Today, rather than seeing God's intent for marriage, we see our world redefining the traditional concept of marriage.

What is marriage? Is it merely two adults living under the same roof?

A Christian marriage can be defined as a total commitment of one woman and one man to Jesus Christ and to each other. In the first nine chapters of the book of Genesis, God created three institutions - the church; human government; and marriage.

Genesis 2:18-24 says: “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.' Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

It's interesting that throughout creation, God consistently said “It is good.” But in the above verses, we see for the first time God declaring that something was NOT good - it was not good for man to be alone. God saw the need for man to not only have fellowship with Himself, but with someone of same likeness. Marriage is intended to fulfill our need to love others and to be loved by someone like us. This idea of marriage did not come from mankind, but rather from God Himself! He gave Eve to Adam. In other words, your spouse is a gift from God. It's also important to see that God gave Adam a mate that was comparable to Him. She wasn't better or worse than Adam, but like him. In marriage, spouses compliment each other, and even though comprised of two individuals... the couple becomes “one” in unity. For those of you who are married - remember God's intent for your marriage. Look upon your spouse as a gift from God and be thankful for the companionship that He has provided.

~ I thank the Lord for my husband Freddy. He shows me so much love and compassion when I mess up at times. When you love someone you forgive them and love them no matter what and that love comes from our Lord, Jesus. Today, thank Jesus for your loved one and the love He has given you to love others. Happy Valentine's Day !

AAA- Adoration, Admiration, Appreciation

2006-01-31T22:34:00.000-05:00

Here is a great and inspiring article for the month of February from
Proverbs 31 Ministries.

This was a great article for me to read. Words of encouragment are so helpful in a marriage. Enjoy reading this article and may it make you ponder a little.....

February 2006
AAA Club of Marriage
By: Sharon Jaynes

Are you a member of the AAA Club of Marriage? You didn't know there was such a thing? Well, there's not an official one that you can call if your marriage breaks down, but I have one I keep in the back of my mind. It stands for adoration, admiration and appreciation. Did you know that big, tough man of yours longs to be admired? He desires for someone to think he's brave and brilliant, loving and logical, tough and tender, handsome and humorous, masculine and magical. That's the stuff of your man's dreams.

What does it mean to adore your husband? Basically, it means to love him with all your heart … and let him know about it. George Eliot once said, "I like not only to be loved, but to be told I am loved." Do you want to see your husband's face light up like a full moon? Tell him you are amazed that he knows how to _______, or that you are impressed by his ______, then sit back and watch him glow.

When the TV cameras pan the sidelines of a college football game, my heart melts when the young men wave and say those precious two words: "Hi Mom." It's almost like they're saying, "Look at me! Look at me!" The truth is, men want to be admired by the woman of their dreams. It starts out with Mom, and then continues with the Misses.

Where does your husband go for adoration, admiration and appreciation? He goes somewhere. All men do. Does he go to work in hopes of hearing, "Job well done"? Does he go to the ball field in hopes of hearing, "Way to go, man"? Does he go back home to Mother to hear, "I'm so proud of you son"? Does he work late in hopes of a few compliments from the gals in the office? Does he hang out at the gym flexing and building his biceps? Where does your man go to be admired?

In my first job as a dental hygienist, I noticed how the all female staff, as well as the patients, admired the male doctors in the building where I worked. I admired them too! They were a wonderful group of talented men who were skilled in their profession. As a young girl in my early twenties, I wondered how the doctors' wives felt about all the praise their hubbies received.

Amazingly, a few years later, I had the opportunity to find out. After working for two years, I went back to school to get a Bachelor of Science degree. There I met and married Steve Jaynes, a young dental student. When he started his practice, I remembered the admiring women from years before, and I made a commitment that of all Steve's admirers, I was going to be his number one fan!

In his book, "Her Needs His Needs," Dr. Willard Harley says, "When a woman tells a man she thinks he's wonderful, that inspires him to achieve more. He sees himself as capable of handling new responsibilities and perfecting skills far above those of his present level. That inspiration helps him prepare for the responsibilities of life. Admiration not only motivates, it also rewards the husband's achievements. When she tells him that she appreciates him for what he has done, it gives him more satisfaction than he receives from his paycheck. A woman needs to appreciate her husband for what he already is, not for what he could become if he lived up to her standards. For some men - those with fragile self-images - admiration also helps them believe in themselves. Without it, those men seem inherently more defensive about their shortcomings…. While criticism causes men to become defensive, admiration energizes and motivates them. A man expects - and needs - his wife to be his most enthusiastic fan. He draws confidence from her support and can usually achieve far more with her."

If you have been withholding admiring words from your husband, it may feel strange to begin. First and foremost, be authentic - be real. If you contrive admiring words, he will be able to tell. Start with one compliment or word of appreciation. It may be as simple as "thank you" and soon the admiration will begin to flow … hopefully both ways.

Not all men are admired at work. If work is a place where your husband meets opposition at every turn, or leaves him feeling like a failure, he will search for someplace to be admired. It could be on the softball field, on the racquetball court, in the church deaconate, or in an on-line chat group. How wonderful it is when that place is in your heart, in your arms and in your home.

You become the mirror in which your husband sees himself. So if he's looking sort of glum lately, maybe you need to renew your membership in the AAA Club of Marriage and try a little adoration, admiration and appreciation around your home. n

This article was taken from Sharon Jaynes' book,
"Becoming the Woman of His Dreams."

Yes, I came back to life.

2006-01-04T19:39:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone.
My New Year's resolution: Enjoy life.

My Birthday Boy-Freddy

2005-12-02T10:29:00.000-05:00

Yes !! Today is my hubby's birthday!
I'm a little sad because Freddy went off to work this morning for 24hrs. The good thing is I will be able to spend some time with him Saturday and Sunday. This is the first year we are celebrating his bday as a married couple! Freddy does not really like the "attention " on his bday , but I think celebrating your special day that God created you is important.The minute I woke up this morning I was singing Happy Bday to him and anxiously telling him to open up his bday card!

I just want to say that Freddy is incredibly special to me and I thank God for bringing him into my life. I love you Freddy and enjoy your special day!

Love,
Your nini

Christmas Radio Station !

2005-11-30T09:58:00.000-05:00

Hello friends! I found a Christmas radio station online for free. The station plays a variety of great Christmas music you can enjoy for the whole month of December!
My co-workers surely did appreciate the station! Enjoy and Happy Holidays

KOOL 105.5 FM Station

Christmas Shopping or Spending Time...?

2005-11-25T18:01:00.000-05:00

I got up this morning, got ready, and I took a trip over my moms house to help decorate their Christmas tree ( might as well since I have no tree) . Freddy and I have not gotten are Christmas tree yet... we have to wait until next weekend, I can't wait !!

After my moms house I had plans to go with my abuela to lunch and the mall. I brought my sister along with me since she had to go into work at 3:00pm(Hallmark), God Bless her!!! My sister, abuela, and I had lunch together and it was so sweet. As I get older I have learned to appreciate "spending time" with my grandparents and listening to their stories. After eating we walked around the entire mall ( I can proudly say I did not purchase one thing) and we went home.

I dropped off my abuela and went to my moms house again because she had something for me to pick up. As I entered my moms house I heard SUPER loud Christmas music playing and she was singing along while cleaning!! I can't remember the last time my mom was so happy about Christmas! For a while my mom had not been feeling to good during the Holidays. I was so happy to see her feeling this way. I stayed for a while to admire her tree, decorations and reminisce her happy times again.

Arrived home to freshen up.... and meet up with my good friends from HS tonight !

I spent so much quality time with people that I love today .... and forgot about "shopping" haha

Here Comes the Bride ....... Maxine!

2005-11-07T13:06:00.000-05:00

4 days left until Maxine and Howard get married! This weekend I attended Maxine's Surprise Bridal Shower and Bachlorette Party and it was beautiful. I am so excited for Howard and Maxine and I pray that the Lord bless their marriage and their long life journey together. I know they are excited for "their day" to come! I love the both of you!

My Elementary Education Class

2005-11-04T11:12:00.000-05:00

As my first elementary education class comes to a close, all of us in the class have become so incredibly close and we always look forward to our Thursday night session. We will resume class next week attending a different course, but the same gals! My professor was so great and the most patient teacher I have ever met in my life! I can honestly say that I love school and I love the girls in my class. We are always there to lift each other up and support one another when in need. We enjoy the class so much that we always get out past the "end time". Last night while the professor was checking our outlines one by one she mentioned we could leave class when she was done revising ours, but NOBODY left! I think she even mentioned "you can leave" 5 times. I never like to brag, but I want to share what an amazing school experience I am having in my life.

The picture is my Cohort ED-18 (from left to right: Nancy, Mimos, Candice, Maria, Barbara, Arnette, Professor Davis, Vanessa and me)

I love you all!

Hurricane Wilma

2005-11-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

Check out new pictures from me and Freddy's Flicker album from Hurricane Wilma.
Hope everyone was safe!

The First Day of Class ..

2005-09-30T14:13:00.000-04:00

I was pretty nervous and anxious about starting school again. I am now a student at Trinity International University pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. I could have never imagined that I would be where I am right now. It’s amazing how Our God is an "on time" God. The Lord knows when all these amazing women (including myself) had to be together in this (Cohort) class. My professor was absolutely amazing! The young women I met were so incredible and all had a story. We realized that we are all in this together and we would help each other no matter what. I think it's so amazing that I will be in every class with these women until we all graduate! We're like a family. When I was in class this Thursday night my heart could not stop fluttering because of how excited I was to be at TIU.I'm very motivated to do my studying now and learn everything I can! This is a new journey for me and I thank God for this new opportunity in my life.

Faith and Marriage

2005-09-28T10:41:00.000-04:00

This morning I came across an interesting article on faith and marriage.I think it's cool how this article was posted on the front page of MSN for all the web browsers to take a glance at.
Article

Dine for America

2005-09-27T22:36:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, I was watching the food network and they mentioned a great opportunity for anyone who is interested in helping out with the Gulf Coast relief efforts. This event is called Dine for America and will take place on October 5, 2005.
Basically, you go out to eat at the participating restaurant in your area and your "dine in bill" will go to the organization. Pretty cool huh? So, all of you who looove to eat out make sure you save this date as your "eating out day"
Click on the link below for more information on the participating restaurants in your area and Dine for America!
Dine for America

::Pretty in Purple::

2005-09-25T21:07:00.001-04:00

Well, as you can see my husband and I have south park clones. It was fun creating my south park pretty in purple chick.
Freddy finds the coolest sites to do some interesting things to our blogs! We hope all of our blogger friends join in on the fun of making their own south park clone!

I also wanted to say Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Hurricane ... Hurricane... Hurricane

2005-09-22T12:44:00.000-04:00

I know everyone has heard of "Rita" heading toward Texas and I know some of my friends have relatives and friends in Texas. My dad and my step-mom (Rhonda)live near Galveston , and so do all my uncles, aunts, and cousins they all had to evacuate their home and travel up northern Texas to a friends house. I have not spoken to him at all , but I got this info from my abuelos.Hopefully I will get in touch with him before the storm hits. Please keep my family and the other citizens in your prayers.Hopefully, the hurricane does not hit Louisiana again !!

Update: 2:20pm
Well, I spoke to my dad finally !! (relief) he said that to drive to where my step-brother Ryan is ( Blinn College) it took them 13hrs when usually it takes them only 2hrs! All they could do was board up their house and take important documents and pictures. Then, my dad mentioned his 45 foot pine trees in the back of the yard ... oh no ... hopefully those don't TIMBER!
Thank God they evacuated when they were supposed to.. at least their safe and I pray that their home does't get destroyed because they put so much hard work into their house!

Imagine Seeing God

2005-09-20T11:32:00.000-04:00

I was reading this morning a little devotional by Max Lucado and it captutured my heart. It was breath taking how he described imagining seeing God. He begins with the Hebrew writer giving us a National Geographic piece of heaven.
Psalm 134:3 Descibing the mountaintop of Zion he describes that we have come up to "the city of the living God.... to thousands of angels gathered together with joy... to the meeting of God's firstborn children whose names are written in heaven" (Heb.12:22-23).

What a mountain! Won't it be great to see the angels? To finally know what they look like and who they are ? .... Imagine the meeting of the firstborn. A gathering of all God's children. No jealousy. No competition. No division. No hatred .... We will be perfect .... sinless....

And IMAGINE seeing God. Finally , to gaze in the face of our Father.To feel the Father's gaze upon us....to hold His hand and forever walk with Him.

I Can't Believe It !

2005-09-15T10:36:00.000-04:00

I can't believe my little sister got her first new job!
She is growing up so fast. Well, of course I'm going to go visit her and so is all of the cuban family ..LOL. Click on her blog

Alyssa

for more info on what Alyssa is saying about her new job.

Yey.. my husband is coming!

2005-09-12T00:16:00.000-04:00

Today was a pretty busy day for me. I went to church with my sister today , dropped her off at home because she had to do homework yuk! I then went to SUPER Target to buy groceries and necessities needed for the house. I quickly went home to unpack all the groceries, re-organize the pantry and refrigerator. I began to clean the whole house and do laundry (so Freddy would come home to a fresh and tidy house!) I finally finished , took a hot shower got my stuff ready for work and went downstairs to finally sit down and relax. A few minutes later I called Freddy and we were discussing and exchanging how our days were today. Then he mentioned that he was going to be coming tomorrow !!! YEPEEEEEEEE! I was so happy. Freddy said that their work there was done and there was really nothing left for them to do. So, yes everyone ... the crew is coming back home tomorrow . Please pray for their safe return. Freddy has a lot of pictures that he is going to be sharing ... so be prepared ! I'm exhausted bye !

Listen to Freddy !

2005-09-08T23:06:00.001-04:00

If you would like to listen to Freddy's new update on his blog, go to my friends on the left side of the page and click on my husband or go to freddymatos.blogspot.com
The Lord has been so faithful and has taken great care of these men from CRCC. God is awesome !

Second Update

2005-09-08T12:58:00.000-04:00

Thursday, 12:56pm I received a call from Freddy.They arrived safely yesterday night in MS and slept in cozy tents. He told me that they are right now working on some construction at one of the locations and they are very hot and sweaty!
They are working hard , please continue to pray for them.

First Update:

2005-09-07T15:17:00.000-04:00

I just got the first update on the guys .. well, from Freddy. They are driving through Georgia and Freddy mentioned they are doing some male bonding.

The First Day Begins

2005-09-07T13:02:00.000-04:00

I woke up very early this morning to make sure my husband(Freddy) had everything for his Mission:Mississippi set and ready to go .. including his breakfast to eat and his clothes layed out to put on right away. He was getting off his shift earlier than usual , but of course he had a fire call early in the morning so he sped home to change and gathered all his things.The other men going on the trip waited for him around the corner by our house ( that was nice of them). We struggled a little to put the gigantic plastic bin he was taking in my car , but we managed !
I drove a little crazy to get the spot were the other men were meeting him .. at least I got him there on time !( Sorry Freddy. He was freaking out b/c of my driving)Freddy and I said are good-byes and off they went! I'm so honored as his wife that he is able to go to this God-sent experience. Please continue to pray for the men that are going to be helping and providing the help these people need in Mississippi.
One final note: I'm not as good of a writer as my husband nor as he writes on his blog everyday... I'm going to try to blog as much as I can and let everyone know on any info he tells me. Bye for now !!
P.S. Freddy has a cool voice activated blog you can check out!

Spontaneous Gals

2005-09-03T23:44:00.000-04:00

I started my Saturday morning cleaning the whole house so I could later meet my sister and my friend Maxine at church (they were practicing their vocals for the Kids on the Rock Worship that is going to be launching starting tomorrow !) Their harmonistic voices sounded great for their first time. I just sat back and listened to their beautiful voices ... That I wish I had!
Soon after they were finished with practice we decided to spend the rest of the evening together. We grabbed a bite to eat at Chilis ( which was awesome) no salsa and chips though .. eeek! ... trying to cut back on munchie stuff. My sister was dying of anti-chips n salsa at our table.. she loves that stuff ! After the fulfilling meal we were trying to figure what to do next so the first attempt began:

Attempt # 1 We decided to go bowling. We arrived at the bowling alley and it was a 1hr wait ... I don't think so !

Attempt # 2 We then decided to sing some Kareoke at JP Mulligans not knowing when we arrived,there was a live band playing and singing for us.... boohoo.

Attempt # 3 Last and final plan .. we went to the ice skating rink and had a blast !!! My sister sat out from skating though because she keeps dislocating her knee, so she just laughed at everyone that was falling or whomever was trying to ice skate professionally.
Maxine and I on the other hand were laughing non-stop while skating together. It was pretty funny because we were not prepared for the cold in the rink ... but at least I had a pair of socks on today because I was wearing boots. Maxine somehow collected a pair of socks that the guy behind the skate rental counter was wearing ..ewww ! Maxine was that desperate..my sister and I found that hilarious. Altogether we had a blast and ended the night spontaneously. I can't wait for another girls night out !

Hurricane Warning but still at Work !!!!

2005-08-25T09:44:00.000-04:00

There is a hurricane coming and I'm still at work ...What's up with that?!
I can see the wind and rain through our office glass windows and the hurricane landfall is starting to progress, and I still need to do do some things! Hello ... are we the only ones still working? This totally bums ! Hopefully we can get out early because everyone in the office is freaking out except the boss ( which is not even in the office? ) Hmmmm ..... ?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALYSSA !!!!

2005-08-22T15:04:00.000-04:00

My sister's birthday is today and she is now 16 years old !I cannot believe how fast she grew up! I wish her the very best today and I can't wait for us to be all together to celebrate her birthday this weekend ! I love you Alyssa and have lots of fun on your special day! FYI- the picture attached is from Alyssa's Quince Anos (15th bday)... I know this was last year , but I just received it !! Ha !

Classic Laughs

2005-08-18T12:28:00.000-04:00

I came across a super funny TV Show on Nick @ Nite. The show is called Hi-Jinks. This show beats the dramatic reality TV shows for it's classic laughs. The show is about parents setting up their kids for outrageous pranks and their reactions are just to die for. You can check it out on Tuesdays @ 9:30pm ET/PT.

Off They Go ------->

2005-08-18T12:04:00.000-04:00

I wanted to give a shout out to my step-brother Ryan Janek and my step-sister Jamie Failoni. I am so proud of them. Both of them got accepted to 2 great colleges and awarded scholarships. Ryan will be attending Blinn College in Texas and Jamie will be attending FSU in Florida. I was thinking about them and how this is the beginning of their independence .... parties, work, studying , girls, guys, peer pressure, bills so on and so on. As a big sister, I do worry about them and I want them make wise choices ... since they will be on their own (it's pretty scary out there). I want the best for them and pray that they will focus and be the best they can be. So, congratulations to the both of them !

P.S. If you have any siblings that are away at college take a moment and pray for them ... they need your support, love, letters and prayers !

Congratulations Adrian & Jamie !

2005-08-11T14:12:00.000-04:00

Adrian and Jamie are getting married Friday August 12,2005
and how wonderful their wedding will be!

HAPPY WEDDING DAY !

Love Never Fails...

2005-08-05T12:50:00.000-04:00

This morning my husband got off his shift and he called me as usual to tell me good morning. He then offered to get some stuff for the house that we needed on our "To Get List" and I had a hissy fit .. I think more of a power trip because I am always thinking in my head .... I have to do everything and get everything, but that's okay with me because I like to and I was "Cuban Trained" to. I then got upset on the phone because he wanted to know where to get the stuff on the list. I didn't respond to his question and instead said," get the stuff wherever you want " and we hung up. I was really sad, mad and frustrated and thinking to myself ... why can't I just let him do these things for me? Why can't I appreciate the fact he is offering to do this task for me? I thought, Great! Now he is so mad at me! Later on that morning he had to drop off some stuff to my car at work (secretly broke in my car) and when I was off to lunch there was a card on my drivers seat, how sweet !
The card was the picture you are looking at right now with the little boy holding the roses and it stated inside : Despite all the mess, I still love you. I thought wow, Love never fails ! 1 Corinthians 13:8

Aly and Lini

2005-08-04T15:09:00.000-04:00

I just thought to put a picture of me and my sister. I love her so much !

Go Dove Girls !

2005-08-04T12:09:00.000-04:00

I came across an article online today about an advertisement on Dove.
It seemed very interesting to me how the company Dove, is using ordinary women from sizes 0 to 14 as their new models and they all look and feel beautiful. I'm very happy that some of today's society is coming to the realization that women can be in any shape, way or form and feel beautiful and confident.
As the Dove motto goes: Real Women. Real Curves.
So, to all my beautiful friends out there be confident and always think beautiful about yourself.

Psalm 139:14
I will give thanks to You , for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;wonderful are your works , and my soul knows it very well.

Go Fish !

2005-07-15T23:21:00.000-04:00

After a long day of work and attending our friend Megan's cool Bday party, my cutie patootie and I spontaneously decided to play a game of Go Fish at 11:30pm. Now, this was not like any other game of Go Fish this was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Go Fish playing cards. I deeply thank The Wendy's Kids Meal I had earlier that day for lunch! After 2 rounds of laughing and yelling we both won each time and we were ready for neep neep. What a great way to end the night !

Mosquito Warning !

2005-07-01T09:03:00.000-04:00

My husband and I decided to go for a walk through our neighborhood this week thinking .." This is going to be such fun" . Well, of course my husband says: "Are you sure you want to walk outside with all the mosquitos" ? and of course I was thinking and said to him.... " Don't worry there will be no mosquitos and it won't be that bad" ! So, we decided to go ... then a few minutes into our fun walk, I feel this annoying itching coming upon my legs (of course I was wearing shorts). I was thinking... no biggy just one bite ... we walked a very long distance, distracted by looking at the beautiful homes around us and later I found out that I had 50 million mosquito bites on my legs, arms and hands.... and so did Freddy ! ( Sorry my love) I have had this uncomfortable itching and red, bumpy marks for a couple of days. So, a word of warning if you're going for a walk with your significant other or by yourself REMEMBER to put on Mosquito repellent!
Oh, by the way did I mention we live by the Everglades?!

Powerful or Discouraging?

2005-06-27T13:34:00.000-04:00

Sunday evening, my friends and I went to a church in Miami to see John Jacobs Next Generation Power Team. It seemed pretty interesting to go and see I thought, but at the end I found out what in the world did I come to see? I mean ... don't get me wrong the Power Team did perform pretty interesting things , but when John Jacobs started to preach ..he was yelling and screaming for about a whole hour. His loud "preaching" is not the kind I am used to hearing. Then , as I was hearing all the screaming and yelling John Jacobs was doing .... I thought to myself ..I really don't think that when Jesus was preaching he yelled to the top of his lungs to get his point across to people. So, I just sat there in my seat praying to Jesus to calm this man down and to calm my HEADACHE ..OUCH !! To tell you the truth I was very discouraged at the end for some reason...I just don't agree that to tell the truth about Jesus you need to yell throughout the WHOLE sermon...Some might say it's powerful and some might say it's just discouraging.

Ironing 101

2005-06-25T22:42:00.000-04:00

Today , I had a ironng lesson from my husband. Yes, I did know how to iron before, but I tried to hard to always make the stinkin clothes too perfect that they always came out wrinkled. The secret you might ask? Well, from my husbands proffessional help he said not to press down with the iron so hard! Duh?

First Time

2005-06-22T12:07:00.000-04:00

I'm just testing this blog thing out ... it's my first time writing in this thing so hopefully , I will get better at it !!

*~* Linette *~*