Salinas / Monterey California 2017

So, I'm contantly wanting to update my blog with pictures with corresponding commentary and videos and what not right?


Because I am constantly busy and never really have the time to really post "media" on my blog how I would like to, here is what I will do from now on (hopefully).


I am in love with Snapchat! It's by far my favorite place as far as social media goes. With Instagram and Facebook, people have access to your past life / recent life and if I'm correct, there are "future events" you may be attending that people have access too.


I'm not about that life. So I no longer have facebook and Instagram, I still do, I just don't post as much as I used to.


With snapchat, everything expires in 24 hours. And boom - ITS GONE. lol well, im sure it mellows somewhere in cyberspace, but whatever. lol


When events or gatherings happen, I like to snap pictures and mini clips with snapchat and then later, I save them all to my phone and create a slideshow.


Here's my first reflecting our little vacay to Salinas - Monterey California 2 weeks ago. =)


Enjoy.

Parent Failing And Parent Winning

So the other day, the funniest thing .happened.

I was home from work and Tamara and Henele were fighting. No, the fighting is not the funny part. lol

I was sitting there on the couch winding down from work and I hear Tamara yell at Henele saying, "YOU DONT TELL ME WHAT TO DO - IM OLDER THEN YOU!!"

I look over at them and Henele responds with - "IM 6 YEARS OLD!!"

*** rewind***

Now, Henele is only 5. He turns 6 this December. And for some reason, the past few weeks, he would constantly bug me about him wanting to be 6. I didn't think anything of it and would say, "yeah Hene, you can be 6." lol I've told him this a few times.

***back to the argument***

Tamara then, with a super smirky look on her face says, "YOURE NOT 6."

Henele says, "Yes!" looks at me and says, "MOM TELL HER HOW IM 6!"

I look at Tamara and as she raises one eye brow, she gives me the dirtiest look she says, "Yeah Mom!, Tell me how he is 6 years old????"

So here I am, stuck between my two kids. A few things could have happened.

1. Tamara could have just said, 6 is still younger then 7. Argument done. (maybe)
2. Tamara could have brought the issue to me for a final ruling.
3. Tamara calls me out on my bluff..

I give Tamara a look like "I just failed" lol and I had to break it to Hene that he is in fact, only 5 years old.

Real tears, real crying followed for a good 5 minutes.

Moral of todays post - Honesty is the best Policy. Even when it might seem minor. Bending the truth is still not the whole truth.

Although I have parent-failed and parent-won in the same situation, I have learned my parent lesson. lol

XOXO Via

Tila Valu

 Here's a picture from last Sunday. My aunt Tila  from New Zealand has been in town and she came to witness the birth of her son Taanis  newborn child. Her name is Tila  named after her and this picture is of me and Tamara  filtered on Snapchat at her baby blessing eating. 

 It was a beautiful blessing and was so nice to break bread with the whole family. 

 Here she is. 

 I made sure I took a turn to hold her and by the time I got her  she was super tired. So I sat and rocked her to sleep.  It makes me miss how small Tamara and Henele used to be. 

Xoxo Via

New Chapters And Challenges

So today at church.  I saw the coolest thing in primary. We were having song time and the kids were singing the song Nephi's Courage.  We had two of the older boys go up in front of the primary to lead this song.  They were told to do actions and all. But the coolest part is in the middle of this song without being told a few of the kids sitting in the audience  stood up  and started singing and doing the actions of the song also.

 Watching the select few kids stand up and really sing this song Nephi's courage was one of those moments you open your eyes and see the small miracles of  heavenly father's work in play. It really brought warmth to my heart to witness this. it's moments like this that help me put life's perspective in the right direction not just for myself but for Tamara and Henele.

 This is my second week in this new calling as the CTR six class teacher.  My class consists of about seven kids.  Six girls and one boy.  Coming from the young women beehive class to this class is a complete change.  It's so much easier to get these young primary kids involved in class versus the beehive class.  I know most of their answers are  primary answers but this is honestly where their roots of their testimony begin.

 I'm excited to see where this new chapter leads me and my testimony. I know I have my own individual things that I need to work on and I want to say that these kids  are going to help me find some answers to questions I feel may have been  unanswered.

 My roots of this gospel still stand strong and firm. My trials have been many and I still take it day by day to keep my route strong.

 So here's to new challenges and new chapters in life. May we all use our trials to our advantage to guide us in the progress improvement  manner.

Xoxo Via

The Release And The Call

Today marks an end to a 2 year Journey and the start of a new one. It was a bittersweet day today at church.

Ask of God, Ask in Faith. Our theme for the year. Today, the Young Women Presidency was released. After two years with these girls, I have grown to absolutely love them as my own. As our last lesson today in Young Women, the presidency decided to team up and give a "last lesson" We simply bore our testimonies for the girls and gave them these letters from each of us.

 From Me.

From Mona

From Les

My calling in the Young Women has come to an end and I will definitely miss it, especially the girls. After my release, I was then called to the Primary!

I know, I was the Primary Second Counselor for 3 years then the Young Women Second Counselor for 2 years and have returned back to the Primary. But this time as the CTR 6 Class Teacher!

I'm excited for this new Journey and can't wait to go back to the simple roots of gospel doctrine. 

I love this gospel and don't think I say it our loud enough. So with being said, let it be known that 

I AM A MORMON! 

I definitely do have y flaws an a DAILY that I think need some adjusting which is why I believe I have returned to this capacity. I - myself - need to go back and start from the basics.

So here's to sweet farewells and new journeys that are meant to be.

XOXO Via

Keto

 So, Keto.

Keto I wouldn't say is a diet, but a lifestyle. I've been Keto since February of this year. What Keto is, is where your food intake is High Fat's w/ good oils and Low to Zero Carbs. I remember when my cousin Taina first introduced it to me, I thought - that sounds a little backwards, cause anyone on any type of diet would say - no fats. I guess it's what we come to think is correct growing up. Well - the science behind Keto we said by Keto Coach after Keto Coach to be absolute. After doing a little research, I decided to try.

Now no carbs would mean I'm out bread, rice and pasta. I knew that much up front and thought to myself, that's what I eat on a regular. Starting Keto, my own menu honestly consisted of Steak, Ribs, Baked Chicken, 80/20 ground beef, Cheese, Asparagus, Salads and a whole lotta Avocado. It's been 5 months and adjusting to this lifestyle was a lot easier then I thought. I'm down 35 pounds and am in no rush to down another 35. What I do know, is that I take it one day and a time, one workout at a time and one meal at a time.

It gets hard to balance with all the other filler tasks of my day. But I manage. Now that I have adjusted to Keto. Starting well, today, I am incorporating the "Intermittent Fast." I've gone through a few blogs / vlogs and social media posts on different adaptations to incorporating the Intermittent Fast. The plan is to simply eat ONCE a day between the hours of 12 and 3 pm and outside of that time frame will be strictly - water or green tea.

We'll revisit this topic in another say 4 months and report. =)

XOXO Via