Blue Monday ~ Family & Festivals

It is Blue Monday at Smiling Sally. Go on over and share your favorite blue treasures or stories. Today I am sharing about my wonderful blue weekend and my busy blue week ahead. This past Saturday I spent the day with my Aunt Connie. She is my shopping twin in crime. After a long Saturday together she treated to a delicious meal at a Greek Restaurant. I wish I could remember the name of the place. The food was spectacular and the ambiance was so perfect that I felt I was eating at a restaurant by the Greek shores.

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Sunday was family time!! I love being with my kids. We went to church at noon, so after services we were starving. We spent the afternoon in Gruene, TX where we eat at Gristmill Restaurant and then did a little shopping. Of course I had to buy something for my little blue angel. She got a leather bracelet that has 3 colorful flowers.

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This week I will be busy. My sister Jessica from JOY Marie's Boutique and I are getting ready for the Jackson Street Festival in Harlingen, Tx. We are going to have Jessica's beautiful jewelry creations, purses, hair accessories, pillowcase dresses, and aprons. Here is a picture of my skirt apron in zebra and blue turquoise.

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I will be a busy bee this week, but all in good fun. I wish you a blessed week. Find time to share hugs with your loved ones. Take time for yourself; get some rest or spiritual time.

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Yoli :)

Spiritual Sunday ~ Parenting Teens

Ginger & Charlotte are hosting Spiritual Sunday so be sure to go on over to if you need prayer or have an inspirational story to share. Today I share about my walk as a parent of teens. Teenage years can be great, fun, exciting, and challenging; and that is for all of us. I am thankful to God that my kids and I have a strong spiritual connection because that has been our saving grace. Relocating can be a tough transition for parents, but even more so for teens. We have been in our new city for 2 months and my two teenagers have made sacrifices and great steps of courage. Life through the eyes of a teenager is different from adults and we need to pray for them. I know that this time of challenges too shall pass and will hopefully make us stronger and closer with God. I am learning as they grow. I am taking it One Day at a Time. Every day is an opportunity for me to love them more and thank God for sending them to my life. ..

My dear friends, I kindly ask that you join me in prayer.
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Lord, grant me time enough to do all the chores, join in the games, help with the lessons, and say the night prayers, and still have a few moments left over for me; energy enough to be bread-baker and breadwinner, knee-patcher and peacemaker, ballplayer and bill juggler; hands enough to wipe away the tears, to reach out when I'm needed, to hug and to hold, to tickle and touch.; and heart enough to share and to care, to listen and to understand, and to make a loving home for my family. AMEN
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God Bless You,
Yoli :)

Pink Saturday ~ In the Kitchen

It is Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound. Go on over to see beautiful pink items from fabulous bloggers.

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Today I visited Nancy at Gracie Jewellery and she is showing some pink things on her wish list. Go on over to see the gorgeous pink Fenton Glass lamps and pitcher. Nancy also posted a pink necklace in a pink shell, which can be found at her Etsy store.

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My Pink Things that I'm sharing this week are kitchen items; blenders, mixers, ice-cream maker, and popcorn machine. These are my kitchen fantasy wish-list. I think of them as the Kitchen Princess Collection. I found these at Horchow and a lot of them are on sale right now. .

Have a beautiful Pink Day!

Yoli :)

Show and Tell Friday ~ Books

Cindy is hosting Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Be sure to check out the wonderful postings from other fabulous bloggers! This week I'm showing a few of my books. For as long as I can remember, I have loved books. The first picture is of a group of older books. Those I have tucked away on a high shelf. Many times I have gone antique shopping specifically for books. I like to showcase the books without their book jackets. The book, New Beginnings is a children's school book. I bought it on eBay a few years ago. It came from the Cavalier Public School District in North Dakota. As I opened the book right now to get these details I get this wonderful scent of aged books. I love it. The book has a copyright of 1965 and the front page has "Jimmy" penciled in.

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I also like cookbooks. I'm a fan of FoodTV chefs. Ingrid Hoffmann has very easy to follow steps, so they are perfect for a starting cook. It also makes it easy that I have most of the ingredients she uses in her Latin flavor recipes. I posted one of the pages from her cookbook so you can see how beautiful she cooks and presents her dishes. I'm getting hungry..

We just moved 2 months ago and we finally finished unpacking a couple of weeks ago. I decided to sort through my books and give away the ones I no longer wanted. It was difficult to part with them but I promised myself to share. I filled 3 large boxes of books that I am going to donate to Good Will. I hope someone gets to enjoy them as much as I have.

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P.S.

Happy Birthday Johnny Cash. You are missed!

Have a wonderful day! ~ Yoli :)

I'm a Latina Blogger

I'm an excited Chica!! I just joined Blogs by Latinas. Being a Latina in America means that I get to enjoy a bi-cultural experience. My family has been in America for several generations and seeing their contributions to society are what motivates me. I'm born into a family that believes in being self-sufficient, higher education, and community service. Our Christian faith has carried us through the generations and gives us hope for the future.

Yoli :)

Thankful Thursday ~ Home & Garden Show

It is Thankful Thursday at Grace Alone. Go on over to share time with friends. This week I am so thankful that we moved to a new city a couple of months ago. Finally, all the moving boxes have been unpacked. The house is starting to look like a home. My kids and I are also starting to enjoy the city. I am so thankful that we live just a short driving distance from larger cities like Austin,TX and San Antonio, TX. I love venturing to small town America, but I also like what big cities have to offer.

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I am excited about attending the 30th Annual Home and Garden Show in San Antonio, TX. It will have spectacular exhibits, demonstrations, and entertainment. I can't wait to see the Outdoor Living & Landscape area because this winter has really been gloomy for our flowers and plants. I heard that the Home Technology area is amazing. I'm most looking forward to the Gift & Gourmet Marketplace section because of the food samples and home decor shopping.

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Here are a few things in my Wish-Book. These items are from one of my favorite online stores Horchow. I know I'm going to enjoy the Home & Garden Show and add more items to my Wish Book. I am so thankful that I get to see new things, go new places, and enjoy a whole new world.

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Have a great Thursday!

Yoli :)

Wednesday Gratitude ~ My Job

Heidi at Heart and Home is hosting Wednesday Gratitude. Join in the fun by going over to her blog and share your gratitude stories!
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This week I want to share about being grateful for my job. I'm a working mom, supporting my teen kids on my own. I wish I could stay home and raise my them, but I do not have that luxury. I am blessed to work for a wonderful global company. They encouraged me to finish my college degree a few years ago, they assisted in my relocation a couple of months ago, and the benefits are the best. The fact that I have a job during this economic situation gives me more reason to be grateful. I try to show my gratitude to God through my good works. I do my part by committing to my job, learning new skills, and working as a team member. I had to travel to our corporate office on Monday & Tuesday for a training meeting . The trip was beneficial, effective, and enjoyable. I got to meet with peers and share ideas. We had dinner at a fabulous restaurant and I stayed at a very nice hotel.



God has truly blessed me professionally and therefore blessing my family. I am proud of the work I do and I always try to do my best. My gratitude comes from knowing that I can support my kids, give them what they need, and teach them good work ethics.

God Bless You!
Yoli :)

Ruby Tuesday ~ Ruby Purse

Mary is hosting Ruby Tuesday. This is my first participating posting and I'm so excited. I have already visited some of the other bloggers that posted and their Ruby Tuesday items are awesome.



My first post is a fabulouse ruby red purse that I saw this weekend. It is absolutlely stunning in person. My sister Jessica owns JOY Marie's Boutique. I was with her this past weekend when she received the purse in her shipment. The purse is beautiful and sturdy. The picture really doesn't convey how gorgeous this purse really is. It is the perfect size, just the right fit. It reminds me of red candy apples!

Have a super RUBY TUESDAY!!
Yoli :

Blue Monday ~ Seating

It is Blue Monday at Smiling Sally!! Go on over and share your favorite blue treasures or stories. This week I am window shopping at Horchow. They have beautiful home decor for the inside and outside.
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I posted 3 different styles of sitting areas. One is a cast iron outdoor bench, but it looks too hard. The next is a plush sofa, but that seems to soft. Then the last photo is a chair, and that one looks just right. I really do like the chair because it has so much character. It can easily accent a formal room or it can also be part of a casual family room. If possible, I would buy one of each.

I hope you have a gorgeous day!

Yoli

Spiritual Sunday ~ Women of Faith & Wisdom

Ginger & Charlotte are hosting Spiritual Sunday so be sure to go on over to if you need prayer or have an inspirational story to share.

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." Titus 2:3-5
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I have met so many wonderful women of wisdom through blogging. I am thankful to God for having a support group of friends and mentors. My heart is in serving God in my daily work, loving my family, and sharing my walk in faith. I know that there is hope for our youth and it comes through our prayers and service in guiding them. Reach out my dear friends, for God has built a system of support in His community. You are never alone in your struggles. Call upon a fellow Christian sister and extend your heart in service. God Bless You! ~ Yoli

Pink Saturday ~ Real Men Wear Pink

It is Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound. I'm excited to be part of the fun. Go on over to see the awesome items that are posted on so many fabulous blogs. My theme for this week is "Real Men Wear Pink". It takes a confident man and persistent woman, for a man to wear pink. I think it is so attractive when a strong manly guy wears pink. They might get teased by their buddies but women are going to be looking at them with interest.
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I'm curious to know...

• Does your husband or boyfriend wear pink?
• Does he even own anything pink?
• Would you like him to wear pink?
• What would he say if you bought him something pink?

Yoli :)

Show and Tell Friday ~ My Desk

Cindy is hosting Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home. Join in by sharing something from your home or garden. She is featuring a gorgeous assortment of pictures of her past bouquets that she picked from her garden. Go on over and have some fun!


This week I am sharing a little corner of my desk. On my desk I have a gold tone lamp that gives off the perfect amount of soft light. I love lamps as an element of design and to produce a peaceful ambiance. On my desk I have a pretty tin watering can with a variety of pink flowers. I was thrilled when I bought the arrangement because its'simple elegance nicely accented my decor. Also in the photo is my inspiration book. I love journals. The "God is Love" journal is spiral bound and has a hard cover; and I have had it for several years. I use it to post magazine clippings that catch my attention. The pages are filled with photos of food presentations, jewelry, fashion, places to visit, home decor, holidays, and much more. I write notes throughout my journal to record the inspiration. Some of my entries are words of affirmations, others are recipe ingredients, and some I use as inspiration for my apron designs. My computer seems to be in constant use. In the picture I have it open to Show and Tell Friday. I hope you enjoyed my view, and I welcome you back for a visit anytime.
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I wish you a fabulous, fun, and fantastic Friday!!

Yoli :)

Thankful Thursday ~ Hope & Dreams

It is Thankful Thursday at Grace Alone. Go on over to share time with friends. Today I am thankful for "HOPE".

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Hope happens when you see something, you decide that it is desirable to you, and even though you realize you might not get it, you still choose to believe it is worth the effort to try.

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One day I hope to visit Italy. I dream of going with my kids, or someday finding someone special to go with. I would love to stay in a romantic villa or a grand hotel by the sea. It would be wonderful to walk the streets, do some shopping, stop into a church, and take in the local cuisine. I know some day we will go, but for now I am thankful for the vision of hope and dreams.

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Ciao ~ Yoli :)