Wednesday, September 11, 2013

a thought to ponder


i was sitting in a corner at a party not too long ago. i was very content observing everyone around me, sipping my tea and listening to countless people talk to one another about "what they do." now if you have been around me in the past few years you know that im not generally at large functions such as this. though i enjoyed large social gatherings in my younger years (im sounding like a very old 29 year old aren't i?) i now opt to spend a weekend evening wrapped up on my couch in my favorite down comforter, sipping a hot cocoa and watching my favorite old movie. needless to say despite my best efforts to get out of it, i was here at a big social gathering on a weekend night dreaming of that lovely spot on my couch. as i sat waiting for time to pass so i could slip out without anyone noticing, i started to become anxious. i realized sooner or later one of these nice people will come over to me and politely introduce themselves followed by a question. a very simple yet very scary question. sure enough just as i was going over what my answer would be, it happens. "why hello there! i am ___________. i am a friend of the host. and you are?" i kindly responded of course. "hello. my name is tisha. i am also a friend of the host." here it was. not even thirty seconds into our conversation, she asked the question. "so, what do you do?" i froze. just as i was about to mumble out what was certain to be gibberish, our lovely host came and stole me away to show me her beautiful home. whew crisis averted i thought! i politely said "goodbye" and hurried away.

on my way home from the party i pondered the situation. it should have been such an easy question to answer. why did i become so anxious? i felt so silly! there has been so much value placed on the answer to this question though that it became overwhelmingly daunting to me. i started to think how we rank others on the "social scale of life" by the answers to this question. we can find out from their answer if they are wealthy, important, educated, and so on. so i guess this means our answer really does defines us. but does it? well let's see i thought. i knew i had to ask myself the dreaded question. "what do I do?" well, i have had multiple jobs in my life so far. some very successful, some not so successful and most relatively short lived. i have had people comment (not kind comments i assure you) on this so surely i shouldn't start out with my long list of jobs. ok. well if my job does not define me then lets move on to education. ok, i graduated high school, took one semester in psychology at a community college and quickly realized that was not for me. i am now enrolled (at 29 mind you) at UCLA Extension for Early Childhood Education courses which will allow me to teach preschool but does not earn me a degree so, i should probably skip the education part too. so what's next? i'm not wealthy, no great awards to speak of, no monuments in my name, not even a new car or a great recent European vacation to speak of as i heard others discussing at the party. so what does this leave me? this leaves me what is most important and what most certainly defines me. it may not put me at the top of the social rank of life but i don't care. all of the sudden i wanted to rewind and go back to the party. i wanted to find that nice woman and continue our conversation. for the first time i wanted to be asked the now exciting question..."what do you do?"

"my name is tisha sanchez, nice to meet you. i am a child of God, i am a wife, i am a mother, i am a daughter, i am a friend."

that's it. nothing i ever "DO" will compare to those things. as a society we have forgotten what is important. thankfully i have come to realize this before it's too late. i can now live my life free and not afraid of what others may think of me but confident in who i am and who He created me to be. who knows, one day i may be wealthy or have a great career to speak of but it won't ever be what defines me. 

i wondered if i should even write this today but i felt someone needed to hear it. to some it wont mean much but rather something to read while passing the time waiting for a dinner date. for some it will be a joke just as everything else is. to some it may be something new to criticize since they are already tired of the last thing they were criticizing but to some, like me, it will be an awakening to the important things and people in life.

so, you know i have to ask..."what do you do?"





Tuesday, August 20, 2013

newborn photo shoot

Two weeks ago we had the privilege of doing a newborn photo shoot with the amazing Tiffany Angeles of Unlimited Style Photography. Her and her husband Marc did our engagement photos, our wedding photos, countless Christmas card photos and now captured a new season of our lives in the most beautiful way! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for these precious photos. I chose a few of my favorites but you can see the rest of the photos here. My personal favorite? Cruz in his chef's hat...my little baker! I brought over all of the props for this particular shot and I wasn't sure if it would turn out or if he would even fit into the mixing bowl but thankfully he did and the shot turned out better than I could have ever expected! I also adore the one of the guys matching Ray Bans! So sweet. Like father, like son.  ♥ Enjoy!














Wednesday, July 10, 2013

39 weeks...come on cruz!



I'm 39 weeks which means Cruz could literally be here any minute now! I am feeling super pregnant and ready for him to come! I am having a few small complications which makes the waiting game even harder but I definitely want it to happen in His time and not mine. That doesn't mean a little walking hurts right? I have been out power walking at least twice a day for the past few weeks and I really feel like it's helping. Whether it is moving things along or not it just feels good to get out and stretch my aching back and muscles. It's hard to believe that the end is almost here. Really though this is JUST the beginning! These past nine months have been amazing. I don't take any moment of it for granted. I am ready for the next season though! I can't wait to hold our precious boy and really can't wait to see Eddie with him! It may seem silly to document my pregnancy and the years after but I value these moments too much to not do it! Blogging is my own sort of journal in a way. I do it for me. It brings me so much joy to write everything down and to look back on these sweet times. Who knows how long it will last but I hope to still be writing about our little life and adventures here even when we are old and gray. For now I am young, healthy and am not really sure if there is gray under this blonde hair or not, SO, continue to blog I must... hopefully my next post will be a picture of our precious boy!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

thirty seven weeks!

How far along?

37 weeks...Cruz is officially full term!

Total weight gain/loss:

19 pounds

Maternity clothes?

still loving my maternity jeans! luckily I'm still able to wear regular shirts and dresses. they need to make maternity shoes though...any other moms feel me? haha. swollen feet and ankles stuffed in a tiny shoe is just not pretty! thank goodness for cute flip flops and glitter toms right now.

Stretch marks?

a few have popped up in the last 3 weeks...lovely. i found a great vitamin e oil though from whole foods that is working great!

Sleep:

eh.

Best moment this week:

hearing my doctor say "it could be any day now!" ready or not :)

Movement:

tons! we can feel his little foot pressed up against my belly. it's so cute and little!

Food cravings:

not really

Gender:

boy :)

Labor Signs:

ive had some intense Braxton hicks but no true labor signs yet. it could happen any moment though so I'm trying to mentally prepare myself! waiting is so hard. i feel like time is standing still!

Belly Button in or out?

out, out, out!

Wedding rings on or off?

off and play ones on ;)

What I miss:

i would say a full nights sleep but even after pregnancy that won't happen very often anymore and I'm ok with that.

What I am looking forward to: his arrival and strangely enough, labor. I am nervous and a little {ok a lot} terrified of labor but I'm also sort of excited to go through the process and experience it all! I filled out my birthing plan this week and am so happy with my doctor, hospital & the personal choices we've made as a couple for my labor and delivery.

Weekly Wisdom: don't miss the now. Cruz could come anytime now but it could also be another 3-4 weeks. as hard as the waiting game is I also want to enjoy the "now" while I can! i am soaking in every moment with my husband, every morning I sleep in, every peaceful bubble bath I take knowing full well that all could change any second! i don't mind the small inconveniences that are coming though because along with them comes the most precious gift in the world and I would already do ANYTHING for that boy! it is nice though to enjoy these "now" moments!

Milestones:

reaching "full term" baby status!

Queasy: nope

Hubby: is ready! his hospital bag was packed and in our trunk before mine was. he can't wait to meet his son!

in closing haha...call me crazy but if you know me well you know my favorite time of the year is Christmas time so to all of the other Christmas lovers out there, merry half Christmas!





Thursday, May 16, 2013

it's a baby q!

i had so many fun ideas for our baby shower {thanks to many sleepless nights browsing pinterest} and finally landed on one! we didn't exactly want a traditional baby shower. we wanted to make sure there was something for everyone. guys, ladies and kids! we planned a vintage themed baby q and had everything from a photo booth, to a bubble machine, a kids corner with coloring books, a custom made corn hole set, {thanks dad!} a killer homemade bbq meal & our favorite...sprinkles cupcakes! it was a family planned shower and was so much fun to do together! from the decor to the food, everyone pitched in and made it an amazing day for us! thank you to everyone who came and for all of your sweet gifts. we are so grateful for the love you showed to our little family!


we made our own stencil for the corn hole.


my mom working on the center pieces in the background while dad prepped the corn
hole set for its first coat of paint.


...and it's done! how cute is it?! 


found these at the $1 section of target. i put them on skewer sticks and put them in a burlap wrapped vase with gerber daisies  for the table centerpieces. the burlap was an old moving blanket that my grandma and grandpa had for over 20 years. we cut it up and covered glass vases with it. cheap and easy!


mason jars and kraft bags stamped with a "C" that held the wooden forks. 




loved this idea from pinterest of old photos of us as kids. it was a fun way to
welcome the guests!


we made our own penant banner! a simple touch that really dressed up the fence.


this was my favorite thing we did! i made this on cardstock and entitiled it "wishes for cruz." all of our guests filled it
out. it was so fun to read them that evening! i cant wait to put them in a book for cruz to read when he gets older.


our photo booth props made from felt and skewer sticks! again CHEAP and easy. :)




found these buckets at the $1 section of target and dressed them up a little! looking back i probably should have used something bigger so we didn't have to refill so many times but i still love how they turned out.




opening gifts






photo booth fun! we made this photo booth with red polka dot fabric from joanns and found a super cute
app called "wedding booth" to create these pics on an ipad and stand! i loved that the guests could leave
us a message!











Tuesday, May 7, 2013

thirty weeks



its hard to believe I am thirty weeks along now! it's been a while since I last posted anything. i'll blame that on the pregnancy and planning of our baby shower :) {post to follow soon from the baby q!} the last few months have been absolutely amazing though. cruz is moving around so much and its so fun to feel and watch his movements. i have been blown away with the love and support from our family and friends and by people's generosity. there is no doubt that our little man is loved and as his mommy that makes me so very happy! here's a little update on my pregnancy:

How far along? 30 weeks!

Total weight gain/loss: i am at a total of 10 pounds gained so far and have 10 more to go before july to be where my doctor would like me to be. cruz is super healthy and everything seems to be right on track. trying to just enjoy, eat healthy (don't get me wrong i cheat ALOT. that's the best part of pregnancy right?!) and have fun during this process!

Maternity clothes? yes! not so much with shirts yet since flowy things are in style and easy to find but i definitely had to buy a few pairs of maternity jeans. the belly band just didn't cut it anymore, haha.

Stretch marks? not really. my cream has worked wonders!!!

Sleep: for a while i was doing great but this last week has been tough. i NEED a body pillow!!


Best moment this week: feeling the biggest kick yet from cruz! he has really been showing off the last few days and it is amazing to feel and watch. i tear up almost every time. what an incredible journey!

Movement: oh yes 

Food cravings: nope

Gender: BOY

Labor Signs: no but in just a few short months i will say yes to that...how crazy is that?!

Belly Button in or out? out and its SO weird. i definitely have an "inny" so this is a new thing. im anxious to see what happens to it after he is born. tmi?

Wedding rings on or off? ok ok ill fully admit it...they are off. yes im in the third trimester which brings along joyous things like swelling in my hands, feet and ankles. 

What I miss: same answer as last time...sleep & caffeine

What I am looking forward to: finishing up his room. now that the baby shower is over we can start putting his room all together. so far we have bought his changing table, dresser and are buying the crib this week. i love to just go and sit in his room with his little toys and clothes and just dream about the days and moments i will spend with him and eddie here. oh boy here i go tearing up again...what can i say he melts my heart already. he is not even here yet and i am still so aware that the greatest thing i will ever do and the greatest privilege of my life is being his mommy.

Weekly Wisdom: faith not fear. we heard an amazing sermon by joel osteen and he talked about speaking faith instead of speaking fear and the power that comes when you speak something into existence. i tend to deal with fear in a lot of areas. fear for my families safety, fear over the future, fear over finances, etc. but God has not called us to live in fear. living in fear is not really living at all! naturally since i struggle with fear, the fear of childbirth and of being a good mom in general has been a daily battle for me. i probably say "faith not fear" out loud at least five times a day. anytime a thought or situation arises that causes me to fear i speak it! so much so that i was in line at a grocery store the other day and had an overwhelming sense of fear come over me and in that moment i felt the Lord say to me "speak it." i was like, really? no not in line with all of these people i'll just "think it." i mean you know my thoughts right? yes i knew he did but i also know the power in speaking it so right there in line i said "faith not fear." ill admit it wasn't super loud, i mean im not a crazy person haha, but it was enough for my spirit to settle and to know i was doing my part to live a free and fearless life. so, if you are like me and struggle with fear in any area i encourage you to speak faith NOT fear over your life! i promise your faith will begin to grow and your fear will start to decrease. 

Milestones: reaching 30 weeks!


Queasy: no

Hubby: is amazing! he cooked the BEST bbq pulled pork for our shower...i mean he's handsome, AND he can cook?! i'll keep him. :)

Thursday, March 14, 2013

it's a boy!

this weekend we had a gender reveal party! it was such a special day and we were so happy we were able to share it with family and friends. my mom and i put the whole thing together with help from my husband, dad and my incredible friend becky. she is the only one who knew the gender besides our doctor. we handed the sealed envelope over to her and she ordered the balloons for the release. it was so much fun and we are so glad that we did it! here are some pictures from the party...
the dessert table.

loved this rose cake! we added this ribbon to it and this adorable cake topper
from grey skies blue shop on etsy. katie did an amazing job on all of our prints! thank you!
we had everyone pin on either a mustache or a bow!

my friend becky! the keeper of our secret :)




thank you to libby cox for the yummy rice krispie treats and cake pops!
they were adorable and delicious!
these light pink napkins were from our wedding. im so happy my mom kept them! i picked
up these super cute stamps from joanns and turned them into baby napkins.

favors.

its a....
BOY!
such a special moment. we love you cruz!

 
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