Last night my husband and I climbed into our bed and both sat completely speechless. It took everything out of me to turn my head towards him and ask…. are you in heaven too?
While I was at Costco yesterday I found that in the coupon book the one thing I’ve had my eye on lately was $30.00 off…. YES! I’ve been wanting to get a new mattress, because frankly, mine sucks. I wake up some days with my shoulders and back hurting and complaining to everyone. Frankly, I think they’re all sick of it.
So I’ve solved my problem… I didn’t have to spend hundreds on a new mattress and have probably the most comfortable bed I’ve ever been on IN MY LIFE! All it is is a 3 inch memory foam mattress topper. And if you hurry you can get yours for up to $30.00 off (depending on size) at Costco until Sunday, 8/2/09!
It feels like the mattress perfectly forms around your body, which it totally does…. it’s the most amazing, indescribable feeling I’ve ever felt. I can’t
This morning my little Jayden man came into my room got on my bed and came running downstairs yelling, “MOM! Your new mattress is AWESOME!” I cannot wait to go to bed tonight ~ and I’m sad that I’m going on a vacation and will be without it for like 10 days.
You can read other things that people love at {Diaper Diaries}!!
Boy these days have been flying! I am leaving for vacation in 2 days and am completely unprepared… I know it will all come together! I’m looking forward to this week’s Works for Me Wednesday to scoop out travel tips w/kids. It’s summer… there has to be some! We are driving from Oregon to Colorado ~ I definitely will be needting tips – so in addition to giving some comment love on my Works for Me Tip below, I would love it if you’d leave some comment love with your best traveling w/kids tip ~ BECAUSE I’M GONNA NEED IT!!!
Lately I’ve found that something works for me that I’m sure works for a lot of people here in the bloggity world. That’s Twitter. I HEART twitter. Believe it or not, I actually kinda boycotted it for a while, because I did not get the point. Who cares if some random person’s kid is watching Elmo…. do you really think I care…. now, YES! Ways that Twitter works for me:
It is the most AMAZING way to receive prayers ~ especially for your sick baby. When Ella drank her heart medicine I posted a quick tweet asking for prayers and was amazed at the response I got. TONS of people started following me and praying for Ella… and their prayers worked! I am now seeing it happen with baby {Stellan} ~ that baby boy is receiving SO MANY prayers ~ (((HUGS))) to his family. These tweetin’ mamas have always got your back.
It is a way to get people to come and read your blog. I have noticed that ever since I started using twitter I am clicking more on the links people are tweeting than actually reading the blogs in my google reader. I have many, many more readers just from them finding me on twitter. And I have found some of my favorite blogs on twitter as well, and made great bloggin’/twitter friends.
If you want to promote something, it’s a great way! Just tweet about it and ask others to retweet for you!
Besides my blog I use it with my family as well. If something is going on, like the birth of a baby, we can update the progress through twitter… that way everybody is getting to see it. Family gossip also goes well through twitter as well, just make sure the one you’re gossiping about isn’t reading it LOL
It is like your own virtual party. You can peek in and peek out whenever you see fit. I used to be huge on mommy forums, but am now finding I’m more happier hanging out with my tweeple. I don’t feel obligated to always respond or communicate (unless of course it is a direct message or an @anjyldream)
Twitter has become this virtual world, where everyone is joining in to be a part of the new “big” thing online. I can’t believe how much I actually really LOVE twitter…I love it so much that I’m constantly checking my Ubertwitter on my blackberry to stay in the loop ~ and my husband has even joined with me!
The support that you can receive from other’s is amazing. In so many situations I’ve tweeted a question and got a great reply from a complete stranger, and a reply that I actually really appreciated.
Twitter is the new thing that’s working for me. If you’re not a part of twitter I vote that you should be! And once you join you can find me {@anjyldream}
Huge thanks to {Kristen} for hosting Works for Me Wednesday ~ it’s one of the best carnivals out there! There’s nothing us mama’s love more than reading what works for other’s.
If inspiration is something that works for you be sure to follow me on {twitter} or subscribe to my {RSS Feed} so that you are in the {know} on Mondays for my inspirational carnival {Just a Motivating Monday}. It’s my new baby and I hope to see it blossom like Works for Me Wednesday has. Hope to see you back here on Monday!!
Yesterday I walked in the kitchen to catch Ella singing along to her ABC’s magnet. I was absolutely shocked when I realized that she was actually getting some of those letters right on and just looked so darn cute doing it! She’s not even 2!!! I’m going to have quite the smarty pants on my hands ~ lately it’s like Ella picks up everything. She’s talking in sentences, using terminology that a 23 month old should not know…. I know, I know, I’m bragging – BUT I CAN’T HELP IT! I am such a proud Mama! So, here she is singing along to her magnet ~ she just melts my heart!
Yesterday I walked in the kitchen to catch Ella singing along to her ABC’s magnet. I was absolutely shocked when I realized that she was actually getting some of those letters right on and just looked so darn cute doing it! She’s not even 2!!! I’m going to have quite the smarty pants on my hands ~ lately it’s like Ella picks up everything. She’s talking in sentences, using terminology that a 23 month old should not know…. I know, I know, I’m bragging – BUT I CAN’T HELP IT! I am such a proud Mama! So, here she is singing along to her magnet ~ she just melts my heart!
Today my heart has been heavy with prayer for a special little boy. Stellan is fighting for his life, and fighting hard as I type this out. As you all know, I have a cardiac baby. I have sat next to her side as she’s been on ventilators breathing for her, because she had been in SVT for so long that her organs began to start shutting down.
The feelings that I felt will never be able to be explained in words. It’s so much more than that. When you look at the heart monitors and see that your baby’s heart rate is going above 200 and reach highs so high that the monitors can’t even read them you drop to your knees and you pray. You pray like you’ve never prayed before.
I am so grateful that I have not experienced Ella going into SVT for 1 year, 9 months and 2 days. I have gotten to the point where I’m not a mom carrying a stethoscope in diaper bag, because it’s been so long since there has been a problem. You can read about Ella’s story {HERE}
Stellan can’t get out of SVT. His heart rate is 220 + and has been going this fast now for 3 days and counting. How he has survived this long is probably beyond everybody, but he is surviving. I’m sure it has to do with the MANY, MANY, MANY prayers that are going on for Stellan. I have spent my night and day praying for this baby boy, as I know thousands have. You can read all about Stellan {HERE}
I’m taking this moment to say that I am scared to death of what Ella has. I am scared to death that one day she’s going to go into SVT and she’s not going to come out of it. I recently almost lost her to something so stupid and preventable, what if something I can’t prevent happens. You know what, I’d blame her doctors. I do not like my daughter’s cardiologist. What cardiologist in their right mind would take a toddler off of her heart medicine to “see” if she possibly doesn’t go into SVT. Yup, that’s what her great cardiologist wanted to do. Well, now Ella is on a different medication since her overdose and it happens to be the same medication that didn’t work for her.
Now I am just another mom carrying a Stethoscope in her diaper bag, praying that I never hear that fast heart beat EVER again.
And now, I’m just another mom praying for Stellan and hoping that my worst fear ceases in him and that he gets out of SVT and that he can give his mom another smile, another laugh, another day, another year ~ I hope she gets an entire lifetime out of him and I hope I get a get a lifetime out my Ella.
This picture is of Ella when she was going through what Stellan is going through right now. It is a picture I sometimes stare at and thank God that my little girl that was once laying lifeless in the PICU is now an outgoing, precious little girl that has stolen my heart in ways that I can’t explain. Mckmama, Stellan & family ~ I’m praying so hard for you. Hugs for another SVT baby family. We’re here supporting you 110%…. I know that Stellan will pull out of this, because he is beyond a fighter ~ he is so awesome.
Welcome to the 3rd edition of Just a Motivating Monday ~ If you are just joining us here’s the scoop:
-Write a blog post about ANYTHING at all that inspires you, or something you feel will inspire others.
-Please link back to Garibay Soup
-Please snag my Just a Motivating button on your post.
-I hope that we can all go and visit each other’s blogs and read what everyone has linked up ~ I hope that this carnival can bring more traffic for you 🙂 So, spread the comment love!
Embracing My Years~
I turned 27 on Friday. I cannot believe that I am 27 years old. I’m almost to the point where I’m not going to be in 20’s anymore and I just can’t believe that it’s gone by this fast.
I know a lot of people, especially women, dread each birthday. They’re getting older, and they don’t want to. I’m the opposite ~ I love growing older. Every year I discover a little more of who I am inside. I can think back 5 years ago and it’s shocking to see what a different person I was. I am pleased with the person that I have become.
I worry less about things that seemed to be of so much importance back then. I treasure things I didn’t care about before. I’ve become a much better mom, a much better wife and I think I am much better person inside.
I embrace each year, because I think with each year I grow; I mature. I learn a little bit more about life, when I thought I knew it all the year before. I learn a little bit more about my husband, when I thought I knew him inside and out. I get to see what beautiful people my kids are slowly turning into. I love each year, I love my Birthday and embrace it all ~ because this is life and instead of dreading we need to be grateful and live it up to its fullest.
Every day to me is a gift, and I treasure every year granted to me just the same. I hope to see 100 and I hope that it’s all documented right here on Garibay Soup.
Here’s to another fabulous year ~ and hopefully many more. I can’t wait to see what I learn and become along the way.
Here’s my sister and me celebrating another year of my life! I’m the one on the right if you’re just joining me here @ Garibay Soup OH and don’t mind the quality – it was w/a camera phone 🙂
WOOOOOOOPS!!! I thought that this post was going to automatically post at midnight…. guess I did something wrong. So, I guess for this lovely Saturday we’re gettin’ this party started off LATE!
If you haven’t already introduce yourself {HERE} and leave comment love for a great giveaway
and then you should head over {HERE} and share your blogging advice, give more comment love for another great giveaway
Today’s is simple, sweet and to the point…….
ASK A BLOGGER ~ WHATEVER YOUR HEART DESIRES!!! Have you ever wondered what bottles you should use for your baby? How about advise in the kitchen? Are you stuck on a family decision that you would like a fresh set of ears to listen? Write a blog post and link up and let’s go around answering each other’s questions ~ bloggers helping bloggers
Today’s giveaway is….. a surprise gift basket from {Bath & Body Works}…. because we ALL love the stuff!!!!
THIS AND THE OTHER 2 GIVEAWAYS WILL NOW END AT MIDNIGHT ON 7/27/09 ~ WE’RE DRAGGING IT OUT FOR MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND!!! SO SPREAD THE WORD!
All you have to do to enter is leave a commentFor 3 more entries write a blog post asking the bloggers anything you want and then come back to leave 3 more comments for your 3 extra entriesSend a tweet ~ leave an extra comment for another entry
~ Here’s my ASK A BLOGGER question ~
I am not a coupon clipper. I’m not very frugal when it comes to grocery shopping, but you can read {HERE} how that’s about to all change. I want to learn about a good system that I can use to start trying to be frugal. I don’t even know where to begin….. I don’t know how to organize coupons and all of that….. so bloggers can anyone help me????
I hope everyone is having fun partying it up at all the Non-BlogHer parties. Today’s an extra special Non-Blogher Party day in these neck of the blogs, because IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!
If you haven’t yet, please head over to {THIS POST} to introduce yourself and comment & link up for that prize IT’S A GOOD ONE!!!! And if you haven’t hit up the {BlogHop party} ~ you definitely should be checking it out.
There is one thing that each and every single one of us has in common. We are BLOGGERS! I know that at BlogHer they are getting a ton of great information that we’re missing out on. Bloggers are uniting to share their ideas, listen to great speakers and so much more that I have no idea about.
I figured we could all act as guest speakers today and give each other the best blogging advice that we have to give. Maybe throw in advice on blog topics to write when you’re having bloggity block. After you give your advice you can switch it up and ask the bloggity world advise you need on blogging.
My advice for bloggers is simple. It’s what I’ve done from the beginning is to speak from your heart. The blogs are supposed to reflect us, for who we are, so it’s okay to let it all out. It’s okay to blog about the things in life that aren’t always happy, because sometimes that’s what people need to read about. When we read about all of the rainbows in people’s world it’s almost upsetting to think about the world you’re in with the money struggles, the strain on your marriage, the imperfect things you do, the times that your kids are acting a fool and you are ready to FREAK OUT… does that make much sense?
Comment! We all love love from others out there. I try to comment to ALL of my readers, and I know that might be a lot when you have hundreds of readers, but touching base with them and letting them know that you appreciate them coming to support you means a lot. When I first started out and had virtually no readers the first comments from somebody knew gave me so much excitement. We all are here for somebody to listen and knowing that somebody is there makes it worth it. So no matter how small or big your blog is spread the comment love.
Now for my question ~
I am starting to get to the point where I want to review products. How do I get started in this?
Also~ I have been having a totally difficult time getting another sidebar on this blog. I figured it out, but for some reason the sidebar will linger on the bottom instead of the top. I found one thing that told me what to change to fix it, but when I did what I said it wouldn’t work… UGH! I am so frustrated, because I have ideas for this sidebar ~ and it will make me feel so much better to have it accomplished.
And Now for Today’s Giveaway!!!! All you have to do is leave a comment for an entry
If you link up w/a post giving your blog advise (and you can even ask a ? like me!) 3 more entries ~ but make sure that you leave 3 more comments for 3 more entries.
Tweet about this and you get another entry ~ just make sure that you leave an extra comment
Rachel at{Spangler Fam}sells{SCENTSY}!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Scentsy. I love walking into my home to most delicious aromas. The best part about it to me is that it’s a flameless candle, so I don’t have to worry about my toddler knocking it over and burning my house down.
She is offering one of my readers a burner that she has and you will get to choose 3 bars of whatever fragrance your pitter patter heart desires ~ let me just say that French Kiss is my FAV! I can’t wait to go through and read everyone’s blogging advise ~ and I hope someone can answer my ?’s 🙂
THIS LINKUP IS NOT FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION POST ~ FOR YOUR BLOGHOP INTRODUCTION POST GO{HERE}THIS LINKUP IS FOR THE BLOG ADVISE ~ THANK YOU!!
Welcome to Garibay Soup!! I LOVE blog parties and LOVE getting to know other bloggers. I can’t wait to go through all of the many blogs that are associated with Pity Party, Bloghop & of course, my very own Happy BlogNerd Bash!!! Grab yourself your favorite beverage… whatever it is that you enjoy while mingling with your girl friends, and get cozy… If you’re visiting me from either the Pity Party or Bloghop I hope you join in with my very own party going on here. See, Friday is my birthday and I am not at BlogHer. It’s a sore subject. But I’m having a giveaway for every day, and great subjects where we are ALL guest speakers, cuz you know all of us bloggers & tweeters always have so much to say!… so I hope to have you join in. Don’t forget to follow me on{Twitter}and to subscibe to my{RSS Feed}. That way you don’t lose your way back here for all the fun.Since today is the first day of BlogNerd it’s the introduction day!! To participate in this Bash for today you just write an introduction post, tell lots about yourself, link to your favorite posts you’ve written and you should definitely share your favorite recipe, because I will! You can snag my button on the side bar for you post ~ sharing the word that there’s a great party going on here.Don’t forget to come back every single day through 7/25/09, because there will be more stuff going on… and more giveaways!!
My name is Amanda. I have 2 beautiful children, Ella & Jayden. Ella is my cardiac baby and has given us many scares, but we’re so lucky that she’s a strong fighter. She’s turning 2 in August and it seems like she’s already going on 16…. it’s scary. My Jayden is going to be 8 this year ~ he’s going into the 2nd grade and that all in itself is mind blowing for this mom!
I’ve been married for 5 years. It hasn’t always been happy, because we’ve definitely experienced our share of troubles, but we’ve made it through so much, and I don’t think there’s anything else that we could never get through. We’re in it for the long haul ~ he’s my best friend, and I’m excited to grow old with him.
With blogging I lay it ALL OUT on the line. I don’t hold back, it’s my place for my thoughts and hopefully I don’t rub people the wrong way, but I tell it like it is. That’s what makes me ME. I blog about my personal life, the things I think up in my crazy mind, and things that probably will embarrass my kids someday. But that’s why I started this blog. I started this blog to have a record of my life, of me ~ for my kids, and their kids to know who their mom and grandma was. And see our life for what it really was. Life isn’t perfect…. and neither is this blog.
I’m an inspiration junkie. I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read anything inspiring. Inspiring quotes can definitely turn a frown upside down, and get you motivated to have a better outlook on things, heck on life! So I started a new carnival called Just to Motivate Your Monday. Every Monday I post an inspirational post and McKlinky is set up for others to write something inspirational to share with others. Or you can always just share you favorite quote. It’s a very new carnival… there’s only been 2 so far, but I hope to see it grow and flourish, because we all need inspiration ~ it can paint our worlds. So make sure you check in every Monday and link up!! Let’s all help each other through inspiration. I hope to see each and every single one of you back here on Monday to give me the inspiration I thrive for…. and I hope that with this carnival I can help you get more followers, because we ALL love to have our feathers ruffled every now and then… right?
If you really want to know random things about me there’s always {THIS LIST},
If you’re interested in reading about my daughter’s heart condition, including the scary accident she just had with her medicine you can read about that{HERE}
If you want to read about my baby that never said hello, and I never got to say good bye to you can read about her{HERE}
If you want to read about how scattered my thoughts can be{READ THIS}! They may be scattered at times, but I do feel strongly about what I wrote!
If you want to see what makes me smile, laugh & cry every day of my life{CLICK HERE}oh yeah and{HERE}as well.
Of course my FAVORITE recipe in the entire world is{ENCHILADA PIE} Well, I hope I gave you a good glimpse into my very soul, because that’s what I try to do here at Garibay Soup…. I didn’t link you to the true dysfunction of my family, because I kinda want ya to come back! We’ll just save all of that for after you’re hooked!
Now for the giveaway!!! I know, I gabbed for too long didn’t I? The lady who owns this shop is a great friend of mine. Her son also has the same heart condition that Ella has. So, we’ve bonded ~ her website is{www.rylidesigns.com}~ click on gift ideas to see some ideas, but she does custom work. So custom, that I had her embroider Gino’s Wifey on underwear for my 5 year anniversary ~ and on the back they said 5 Years Strong… they were ADORABLEIf you leave a comment you will be entered to win a $30.00 gift certificate to spend on whatever your heart desires from her.
If you link up on this post with an introduction post linking back to the Happy BlogNerd Bash you may leave 3 more comments for 3 more entries 🙂 Make sure you leave the extra comments if you link up.
If you tweet about the party linking to this post you can leave 1 more comment for an extra entry as well.
WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG & ANNOUNCED ON 7/26/09 ~ LINKS WILL CLOSE ON 7/26/09 @ MIDNIGHT ~ YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND ALL OTHER FUTURE PARTY POSTS UNTIL 7/26/09 @ MIDNIGHT.
If you haven’t already head over to {BlogHop09} for more party fun!!!! And on Twitter there’s the #pityparty by @stop4chocolate and @waymorehomemade
Thank you so much for stopping and by and Don’t forget to come back every single day through 7/25/09, because there will be more stuff going on… and more giveaways!!AND MY BIRTHDAY IS FRIDAY, 7/24/09 ~ SO YOU HAVE TO COME PARTY WITH ME!!!
THE PARTY DOESN’T STOP HERE, AFTER YOU COMMENT, LINK UP & COMMENT SOME MORE 🙂 HEAD OVER {HERE} FOR THE NEXT PART OF THIS PARTY… AND IT’S MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!!! WE’RE GIVING AWAY SOMETHING I TOTALLY LOVE…. AND I KNOW YOU WILL TOO!
